A dual wall cooking vessel is formed by the impact or friction bonding of the an inner to an outer vessel wherein a laminate of aluminum and copper layers is disposed between the outer surface of the bottom of the inner vessel and the inner surface of the bottom of the outer vessel. The aluminum layers are arranged to surround the copper layer of the uppermost aluminum layer being the upper aluminum layer being thinner than the lower aluminum layer and having a slightly smaller diameter than the copper and aluminum layer. The appropriate dimensions of the aluminum layers and sequence of welding and bonding operation results in the co-extrusion of both aluminum layers into a portion of the adjacent sidewall formed by the gap between the walls of the inner and outer vessel. This co-extruded layers of aluminum within the side walls and the bottom of the vessel improves the heat transfer from the outer vessel to the inner vessel during cooking, but without significantly diminishing the insulating properties of the dual wall vessel that serve to keep the food warm while it is being served.

The present invention relates to improved cooking vessels, particularly to double wall cooking vessels.
Double wall cooking vessels have a solid bottom surface and a pair of concentric co-axial sidewalls separated by an air gap there between. The double wall construction provides insulation so that the food stays warm after cooking, permitting the same cookware to be used as serving ware at the table.
Also known in the art is "waterless cookware", that is a cooking vessel with a self-sealing lid so that a minimum of water is used to cook the food, with the steam generated from the added water and the foodstuff itself is retained, rather than lost through the gap between the vessel's rim and cover. The extreme example of "waterless cookware" is a pressure cooker, in which a pressure containing cooking vessel has a match lid that locks to secure a gasket between the rim and the lid. The lid must have a pressure release valve, lest the internal pressure cause a violent explosion of the vessel. The other form of "waterless cookware" involves a pot or vessel rim that extends outward from the vessel's perimeter to provide a slightly concave region where steam can condense between the extended rim and the matching lid, thus forming a "water" seal in placed of the rubber gasket in the pressure cooker. The mass of the lid serves as a "release valve" preventing excess pressure within the confined volume that holds the foodstuff. Both forms of "waterless cooking" are popular as they offer a superior method of preserving vitamins, nutrients and natural flavors, creating a more pleasing an uniform texture to the cooking food than microware methods.
Double wall cookware however has certain disadvantages. The contained wall must be sealed from water for the expected lifetime of the product, as any water that enters or seeps in during use or washing presents a hazard when covert to steam during cooking. Thus the cookware is difficult to manufacture, as well as costly.
Dual wall cookware also suffers in performance relative to single wall cooking vessels, as the outer surface near the bottom of the vessels is easily overheated during cooking, being insulated from the remainder of the vessel. This rapidly leads to discoloration, and distortion under extreme conditions, making the cookware unattractive for use at the table, or display in the kitchen.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved dual wall cooking vessel and method of making the same that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages, and in particular making the vessel suitable use a "waterless cookware".
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide an improved construction for dual wall cookware.
It is a further object for providing a reliable and cost effective method of making such an improved construction, that results in a complete an secure seal at the rim where the inner and outer walls meet.
It is a further object of the invention that the securely sealing rim be suited shaped so that the vessel may serve as waterless cookware with the appropriate matching lid.


Systems and methods for multicasting using Bluetooth low energy are described herein. In one embodiment, a first device advertises multicasting capabilities over one or more channels using a first type of advertising packet. One or more receiving devices scan the one or more channels for the first type of advertising packets to identify the first device as a multicasting capable device. Further, the one or more receiving devices request information from the first device as to the channel and timing of transmission of the multicasting data. The one or more receiving devices use the requested information to listen for the multicasting data on the appropriate channel.

Field
This application relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to systems and methods for multicasting data using Personal Area Network (PAN) wireless technology.
Background
Bluetooth is a type of wireless technology usually used for exchanging data between devices over short distances such as in a personal area network (PAN). The PAN or body area networks in the Bluetooth standard may be defined by devices that have "paired" with each other and are therefore able to exchange data. Pairing is a process by which devices register with each other, including under user control. Once paired, devices typically can communicate with each other whenever they are within range and active without re-performing the pairing process.
Bluetooth devices may be limited as to the number of devices they can pair with, and therefore are limited as to the number of devices that a single Bluetooth device can send data to at a given time. Further, Bluetooth communications can include significant overhead for security and robustness, including the use of acknowledgments (ACKs and NAKs) sent by a party receiving data to the sender of the data to ensure receipt of the data.
In some cases it may be beneficial to use Bluetooth wireless technologies to send data, i.e., multicast, to a plurality devices, such as due to the power efficiency of Bluetooth wireless technologies. However, due to the limits of Bluetooth discussed above, such multicasting using Bluetooth wireless technologies is not directly supported in the Bluetooth standard. Therefore, new systems and methods are needed that support such multicasting.

Systems and methods for implementing multicasting using personal area network “pan” wireless technology


A display apparatus including: a display unit for displaying image data in a first display region of the display unit; a motion sensor for sensing a motion of a user; and a display controller for controlling the display unit to divide the first display region into a bezel display region and a second display region according to the motion of the user sensed by the motion sensor, for displaying variable bezel image data in the bezel display region, for scaling the image data so as to correspond to the second display region, and for displaying the scaled image data in the second display region.

1. Field
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to a display apparatus and a method of controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile electronic devices, such as tablet personal computers (PCs), as well as mobile phones, have been widely used. These mobile electronic devices include a display unit that provides visual information, such as an image, to a user, so as to support various functions. The sizes of components for driving the display unit have decreased, the size of the display unit in electronic devices has increased, and a structure that may be adjusted from a flat state to have a suitable angle has been developed.
In addition, according to the above-described trends, some display units have a thin and wide screen. Additionally, the size of a bezel used with the display units may be small. In particular, when the size of the bezel is small, a user's grasp may cover part of the display unit, which may cause an undesired operation to be performed.

Display apparatus and method of controlling the same


A corneal topography analysis system includes: an input unit for inputting corneal curvature data; and an analysis unit that determines plural indexes characterizing topography of the cornea based on the input corneal curvature data, the analysis unit further judges corneal topography from features inherent in predetermined classifications of corneal topography using the determined indexes and a neural network so as to judge at least one of normal cornea, myopic refractive surgery, hyperopic refractive surgery, corneal astigmatism, penetrating keratoplasty, keratoconus, keratoconus suspect, pellucid marginal degeneration, or other classification of corneal topography.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a corneal topography analysis system and a method of performing corneal topography analysis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corneal topography analysis systems are known which analyze the three-dimensional topography of the cornea to be examined by projecting a number of Placido rings onto the cornea, taking the Placido ring image created by the convex surface of the cornea by means of an image sensor, and finding data for the curvature of the cornea based on the taken Placido ring image. The corneal topography is displayed in terms of various kinds of color maps. The information about the corneal topography obtained by such an analysis system is utilized for planning an operation for correcting the cornea, for planning cataract surgery, and for postoperative evaluations. In addition, the topography is used for early discovery and diagnosis of keratoconus that is one of several corneal diseases.
As a diagnosis of keratoconus, a method of judging keratoconus topography using a neural network approach is disclosed by Michael K. Smolek et al. in "Current Keratoconus Detection Methods Compared With a Neural Network Approach, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, October 1997, Vol. 38, No. 11, pp. 2290-2299" (Reference 1), which is incorporated herein by reference. In this method, the presence of keratoconus (KC) and keratoconus suspects (KCS) are judged using a neural network and 10 indexes characterizing the corneal topography, i.e., Differential Sector Index (DSI), Opposite Sector Index (OSI), Center-Surround Index (CSI), Analyzed Area (AA), Cylinder (CYL), Irregular Astigmatism Index (IAI), the steep axis of simulated keratometry (SK1), Surface Regularity Index (SRI), Surface Asymmetry Index (SAI) and the Standard Deviation of corneal Power (SDP). Conventionally, however, only keratoconus topographies have been judged. The categories of corneal topographies and the display of the results of the analysis leave room for further improvement.
The spacing and number of Placido rings are different among manufacturers of corneal topography systems for calculating the indexes that are necessary for classification of keratoconus topographies. Furthermore, the number of data items obtained by edge detection of ring images and the data structure are different among the manufacturers of the systems. Generally, therefore, there is no data comparability among the manufacturers. It follows that corneal topography is analyzed based on point data for the data structure for each individual manufacturer. In addition, even for the same manufacturer, if the Placido ring structure is varied, it is necessary to change the analysis program and display program.


A semiconductor device is provided which includes a plurality of semiconductor chips each of which has a first main electrode and a control electrode on a first main surface and a second main electrode on a second main surface, and a plurality of support plates each of which is secured to the second main surface of the corresponding semiconductor chip. These semiconductor chips and support plates constitute individual semiconductor elements. The semiconductor elements are accommodated in the flat package that includes first and second common electrode plates and an insulating sleeve interposed between the common electrode plates, such that the semiconductor chip and the support plates are positioned by positioning guides. The first common electrode plate is in contact under pressure with the support plates. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of contact terminal blocks each of which is disposed between the second common electrode and the first main electrode of the corresponding semiconductor chip so as to apply a pressure to the semiconductor chip and serve as a conductor and a heat radiator.

Insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) have been widely used, for example, as power switching devices in the application of motor PWM control inverters. The insulated gate bipolar transistor, which is of voltage driven type, can be easily handled in use, and has been thus required to have a large capacity to meet the needs of the market. In this situation, a module structure has been employed in which a plurality of IGBT chips are integrated within the same package.
In a MOS control type device, such as IGBT, an emitter electrode and a gate electrode are formed side by side on the main surface of a semiconductor chip. Where such IGBT are incorporated into a package, a collector electrode formed on the lower surface of the semiconductor chip is mounted on a support plate that is a metal base serving also as a heat radiator, and this support plate can be used as an external lead-through terminal for the collector electrode. The emitter electrode and gate electrode, on the other hand, need to be connected to corresponding external lead-through terminals through respective bonding wires. Since the bonding wire generally consists of an aluminum wire having a diameter of about 300 .mu.m, heat is scarcely dissipated from one side of the chip which bears the emitter electrode, and mostly dissipated from the other side of the chip which bears the collector electrode. Further, the internal wiring of this device has a large inductance.
To solve the above problems, a pressure contact type IGBT has been proposed that is mounted in a flat package having a ceramic insulating sleeve, similarly to a conventional thyristor or GTO thyristor. Since the IGBT is different from the GTO thyristor in that its main surface on which the emitter electrode is formed has a MOS structure, unlike the GTO thyristor, there arises a need to provide a collecting electrode in a region other than this MOS structure and apply the pressure to this region, so as to assure electric characteristics and long-term reliability of the transistor.
With regard to the pressure contact type IGBT, a plurality of semiconductor chips are secured by soldering to the same support plate (metal base) while being positioned by positioning guides. The collecting electrode of each semiconductor chip contacts under pressure with the upper common electrode through a corresponding contact terminal block. The positioning guide formed of fluorine resin, for example, is used for positioning this contact terminal block and the semiconductor chip.
In the above-described known structure using wire bonding, however, the current capacity of the element is considerably limited since heat is hardly dissipated from the emitter-electrode side of the transistor though the collector-electrode side of the transistor undergoes heat dissipation. In the element having a large current capacity, the number of bonding wires connected to the emitter electrode is increased, and reaches several hundreds particularly when a plurality of IGBT are accommodated in the same package to provide a module. In this case, the internal wiring has an increased inductance, which may cause a large surge upon a switching operation of the IGBT, and also cause a problem of reduced operating reliability.
In an attempt to solve the problems of heat dissipation, inductance of the internal wiring and others in the above-described known structure, it is proposed to incorporate the IGBT into a flat package, similarly to a flat semiconductor device such as a GTO thyristor, and draw the emitter electrode and collector electrode formed on the opposite major surfaces of each IGBT to respective common electrode plates exposed to the upper and lower surfaces of the flat package. In this structure wherein the emitter electrode of each semiconductor chip extends over an insulating layer covering the gate electrode, however, there may arise stresses in the MOS structure due to application of pressure thereto when the common electrode plate on the side of the flat package comes into contact under pressure with the emitter electrode. The thus produced semiconductor chip cannot be used in practice as it is.
In view of the above, a structure called a collecting electrode that serves as current path and heat radiator and does not have a MOS structure is provided on the emitter-electrode side of the IGBT. The contact terminal block that is accurately positioned by means of the positioning guide is brought into contact with this collecting electrode portion, so that the stress due to the pressure is not applied to the MOS structure where the emitter electrode is present. Thus, the semiconductor chip and contact terminal block are accurately positioned by the positioning guide without any shift therebetween in the lateral direction. In the known flat type IGBT wherein collector electrodes of a plurality of semiconductor chips are soldered under pressure to the same support plate, however, only one of the semiconductor chips cannot be replaced by another one even if the semiconductor chip is found defective after assembling of the chips with the flat package, thus causing a problem of considerably increased manufacturing cost of the semiconductor device. For example, a semiconductor device in which 12 semiconductor chips are combined together becomes defective if only one of these semiconductor chips becomes defective after assembling.


One embodiment takes the form of a method carried out by a gateway. The method includes the gateway receiving a message that was originated by a wireless communication device (WCD) being served by an access network. Next, the gateway may identify a given air-interface resource on which the access network is serving the WCD. After receiving the message, the gateway may use the given air-interface resource to determine one or more rules for decrementing an account balance associated with the WCD. The gateway may then decrement the account balance associated with the WCD in accordance with the determined one or more rules.

Unless otherwise indicated herein, the materials described in this section are not prior art to the claims and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Wireless service providers may operate access networks each arranged to provide wireless communication devices (WCDs), such as cell phones, tablet computers, tracking devices, embedded wireless modules, and other wirelessly-equipped communication devices, with wireless communication service. Each such access network may include a number of base stations that radiate to define an air interface over which to provide wireless service to WCDs according to an agreed air-interface protocol, such as Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) or Wireless Operability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) (e.g., 1xRTT and 1xEV-DO), WIFI, and BLUETOOTH, or others now known or later developed. In turn, each base station may be coupled with network infrastructure that provides connectivity with one or more transport networks, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and/or the Internet for instance. With this arrangement, a WCD within coverage of the access network may engage in air-interface communication with a base station and may thereby communicate via the base station with various remote network entities and/or with other WCDs served by the base station or by other base stations.
In accordance with an agreed air-interface protocol, the air interface provided by the access network may be comprised of various air-interface resources that are utilized by the base stations to serve WCDs. For instance, each base station may radiate to define one or more air-interface coverage areas, such as cells and cell sectors, in which WCDs can operate and engage in air-interface communication with the base station. Within each air-interface coverage area, the base station may operate on one or more carrier frequencies (or "carriers"), each defining a frequency channel for communicating with WCDs. In a typical example, the base station's one or more carriers may each take the form of a particular frequency block (e.g., a 1.25 MHz, 5 MHz, or 10 MHz block) in a profile frequency band used by the wireless service provider, such as a 800 MHz band, a 1.9 GHz band, or a 2.5 GHz band.
In practice, each of the base station's one or more frequency channels may be divided into a downlink (or forward link) for carrying communications from the base station to WCDs and an uplink (or reverse link) for carrying communications from WCDs to the base stations. For example, according to some air-interface protocols, each frequency channel may be divided over frequency into a first block of frequency for downlink communications and a second block of frequency for uplink communications. Alternatively, according to other air-interface protocols, each frequency channel may be divided over time into a first set of timeslots for carrying downlink communications and a second set of timeslots for carrying uplink communications. Other techniques for dividing a frequency channel into a downlink and uplink may exist as well.
Further, the agreed air-interface protocol may employ techniques such as time-division multiplexing, frequency-division multiplexing, and/or code-division multiplexing to further divide a frequency channel's downlink and/or uplink into discrete sub-resources (e.g., LTE resource blocks, 1xEV-DO forward-link timeslots and/or reverse-link channels, etc.), which may then be used to carry control and/or bearer data between the base station and WCDs on the frequency channel.
In operation, each base station may be configured to broadcast, on each of its one or more frequency channels, (1) a list of the frequency channel(s) provided by the base station and (2) a pilot (or reference) signal that WCDs are configured to monitor in order to evaluate coverage strength (e.g., signal strength and/or signal to noise ratio). For example, in a representative LTE system, each base station may broadcast, on each of its one or more frequency channels, a system information block (SIB) message that lists the frequency channels on which the base station provides service and a reference signal that LTE-compliant WCDs are arranged to monitor in order to evaluate LTE coverage provided by the base station. As another example, in a representative CDMA system, each base station may broadcast, on each of its one or more frequency channels, a Channel List Message (CLM) that lists the frequency channels on which the base station provides service and a pilot signal that CDMA-compliant WCDs are arranged to monitor in order to evaluate CDMA coverage provided by the base station. Other examples are possible as well.
When a WCD first enters into coverage of an access network, the WCD may then automatically scan the air interface in an effort to find the strongest available pilot signal, and the WCD may then register with the access network over the frequency channel associated with that pilot signal. For instance, the WCD may generally scan through various frequency channels and evaluate any pilot signals on those frequency channels in order to identify the frequency channel having the strongest pilot signal. In turn, the WCD may engage in registration signaling with the access network on that frequency channel in order to register with the access network. At some later time, the access network can then assign the WCD certain sub-resources on the frequency channel and begin exchanging bearer data with the WCD.

Method and system for decrementing account balance based on air-interface resource information


A light source that generates light that is perceived to have a predetermined color is disclosed. The light source includes first and second red LEDs and a non-red light emitter. The first and second red LEDs emit light in the red portion of the spectrum but at different wavelengths. The non-red light emitter emits light at a wavelength in a non-red portion of the spectrum. A controller varies the intensity of the first and second red LEDs to provide a combined light signal that is perceived as having the predetermined color. In one embodiment, the non-red light emitter includes a fluorescent light, and the controller adjusts the intensities of the red LEDs to provide a source that is perceived as an incandescent source of a predetermined color temperature.

The present invention can be more easily understood with respect to a light source for use in backlit LCD displays. Such displays are widely used in image display applications including computer displays and stand alone displays of the type used in advertising and the like. These displays utilize a pixilated image plane in which each pixel includes a color filter and an LCD shutter. The pixels are illuminated with white light from a source behind the image plane. A viewer in front of the image plane sees an image that is generated by opening the individual pixel shutters for a time proportional to the intensity of light that is to be perceived as originating from that pixel. A color image is generated by utilizing three closely spaced pixels having different color filters. The image is repeatedly generated to give the impression of a still or moving picture with the desired color intensity values at each pixel.
Ideally, the light source used for the display is a white light source having a color temperature that can be set for various applications. At present, most displays of this type utilize a fluorescent light source. Fluorescent light sources have significantly longer life-times and provide more light output for a given electrical power into the light source than incandescent sources. Unfortunately, the color temperature of such sources is not easily varied, as the output spectrum depends mainly on the phosphors used in the device.
In principle, white light sources based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can provide the desired color temperature variation and life-times. A light source having three different color LEDs can provide a wide range of colors, and hence, duplicate a wide range of color temperatures. Unfortunately, with the exception of red LEDs, currently available LEDs have a number of drawbacks that inhibit their use in such backlit displays.
First, the light available from a single LED is often too low to provide the necessary brightness. As a result, a large number of LEDs of each color are needed. The cost of these LEDs is too high to make such sources competitive with fluorescent displays. In addition, the output of each LED changes with age, drive current, and temperature. As a result, some form of feedback system is typically used to continuously adjust the drive current or duty factor of each LED to compensate for drift in the output from these and other factors. Furthermore, LEDs that emit colors other than red have lower power conversion efficiencies than the red LEDs. These LEDs also tend to be more expensive to manufacture than red LEDs.

Method and system of controlling bicolor luminary system

Avago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.


A connector (10) is connected to the front end of a cable (11) in a compact connection that provides electrical shielding and a water-tight seal. The connector has a metal main sleeve (30) with a rear end (64) having circular crimps (38,39). One crimp (39) is made against the cable insulator (16) to provide a water-tight seal and the other (38) is made to the cable shielding braid (35) to ground the main sleeve. The main sleeve has a front portion with a crimp (37) that crimps against an elastic seal ring (25) lying in a groove (23) in an insulative body (20) that has contact-holding passages (60).

The present invention relates to an electrical and mechanical connecting arrangement comprising a preferably multi-wire cable and a cylindrical connector part in the form of a plug or socket.
In prior connecting arrangement, the connector part is held with its rear hollow end, which is remote from the plugging region, on a radio frequency cable by means of a crimped connection. The front end of the plug connector part has an insulating part lying about a socket or plug contact and, on the outside, a shielding contact. With such plug connector parts, the individual components of the plugging region are generally connected to one another and to a hollow housing, in whose rear end the cable is inserted, by means of screw fittings and/or latching connections. Such connections are relatively complex in terms of production and assembly. In addition, such connections require a relatively large amount of space.
One object of the present invention to provide an electrical and mechanical connecting arrangement of the type mentioned above, in which the connection between the insulated cable and the plugging region is simplified for assembly and can be used in connecting arrangements having a small physical size.


An Outdoor Coupler Unit (OCU) is described to combine or split, transmit and receive microwave signals from multiple Outdoor Units (ODUs). The OCU has low signal loss by utilizing circulators. The OCU concept allows for system expansion beyond two ODUs if desired, and can be placed outdoors in close proximity to an antenna or antennas.

Microwave communication systems commonly consist of an Outdoor Unit (ODU) connected to a microwave antenna. The microwave antenna is pointed at another microwave antenna with another ODU connected to it. The pair of ODUs and associated antennas comprise a link. The ODU typically contains a transmitter and a receiver to transmit and receive data to and from another ODU through the antennas, the client's network.
Commonly, two ODUs are connected to a single antenna through a hybrid coupler. The hybrid coupler adds significant loss to the transmit and receive signals of the ODU, reducing the system gain. This loss is undesirable since the system gain determines the distance that can be spanned between antennas in a link. A greater loss translates to increased cost in purchasing and maintaining a greater number of antennas in a linked network. Another limitation of the hybrid coupler is that only two ODUs can be connected to it. If one ODU fails in such a system, the effect on network traffic can be substantial. In addition, the limited isolation between ODUs through the hybrid coupler can cause interference.

Outdoor coupler unit utilizing circulator network


A liquid surface detector includes an electrode pad, a coil, a memory, and a detection control circuit. The electrode pad is attached to an outer side surface of a tank of the image forming apparatus. The coil is connected to the electrode pad. The memory stores initial values. The detection control circuit determines a capacitance (first capacitance) of a first resonance circuit including the coil and the tank with the electrode pad. When determining a liquid surface level value, the detection control circuit subtracts an error value from the first capacitance so as to determine a first corrected capacitance, and determines the liquid surface level value based on the first corrected capacitance and the initial value.

The present disclosure relates to a liquid surface detector for determining a value indicating a liquid surface height by sensing a current capacitance based on a resonance frequency. In addition, the present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus including the liquid surface detector. Further, the present disclosure relates to a method for controlling the liquid surface detector.
When detecting a liquid surface height (level of liquid) in a container or tank, a capacitive sensor may be used. In general, the capacitive sensor includes a pair of electrodes. The pair of electrodes acts as a capacitor. For instance, the pair of electrodes is arranged in the container so that the long sides thereof extend in the up and down direction. As the amount of liquid in the container is more, the amount of liquid between the electrodes is more. Dielectric constant between the electrodes changes along with the height of liquid in the container. Capacitance changes in accordance with the degree that the electrode is soaked in the liquid.
There is known a device that detects a liquid surface height on the basis of a capacitance change as follows. Specifically, there is known a liquid surface detecting device including a liquid surface sensor that is inserted in liquid and has a cylindrical external electrode and an internal electrode between which an insulation gap is formed. An AC voltage is applied between the external electrode and the internal electrode of the liquid surface sensor, capacitance between the external electrode and the internal electrode is detected on the basis of the applied voltage, and liquid surface is detected on the basis of the detected capacitance.
There is an image forming apparatus that deals with liquid. For instance, there is an image forming apparatus that performs printing by using ink. It is considered that such an image forming apparatus is equipped with a liquid surface detector. In order to accurately detect a liquid surface height, the liquid surface detector may include a sensor for detecting that the liquid surface reaches an upper limit (upper end), a sensor for measuring current capacitance between electrodes, and a sensor for detecting that the liquid surface is at a lower limit (no liquid). Using these three sensors, capacitance at the lower limit, capacitance at the upper limit, and current capacitance between the electrodes can be sensed. In this way, it is possible to determine at which level (height) the current liquid surface is between the lower limit and the upper limit, i.e. between a minimum level and a maximum level.
However, providing at least three sensors, the cost for manufacturing the liquid surface detector is increased. In order to lower the cost, it is considered to use only the sensor (electrodes) for measuring current capacitance between the electrodes. For instance, the capacitance when the liquid surface is at the lower limit and the capacitance when the liquid surface is at the upper limit are written to a memory. When measuring a liquid surface level, data in the memory are used. However, detection environment (measuring condition) of the liquid surface detector differs between when the capacitance values are written to the memory and when the liquid surface detector is actually attached to the image forming apparatus. For instance, a stray capacitance between a circuit for calculating the capacitance and the electrodes (capacitor) changes.
Therefore, the capacitance values written to the memory may not be appropriate. As a result, the liquid surface height may not be detected accurately. Note that the document describing the above-mentioned known liquid surface detector does not describe about writing data to the memory.

Liquid surface detector, image forming apparatus, and method for controlling liquid surface detector


This invention relates to a plant irrigation system and in particular to one including a reservoir for receiving water, having an upper indicating line and a lower indicating line on the outer surface thereof for denoting the highest and lowest water levels respectively, an inlet on the top thereof for filling water therein, a cap engageable with the inlet for preventing water from evaporating and flowing out thereof, an outlet on the top thereof, a first mounting plate arranged on the top thereof and having two openings, and a second mounting plate formed on the top thereof and having two slits; a hook having two protuberances engageable with the two openings of the first mounting plate so that the hook is detachably connected with the reservoir and can be adapted for use to various flower pots; a plastic pipe having a lower end to be extended into the reservoir through the outlet of the reservoir and an upper end to be buried into the soil in a flower pot; a wick enclosed within the plastic pipe; and a spade for digging the soil, with a flexible and wrinkly strap for being firmly inserted through the slit of the second mounting plate and a fastening means designed for keeping the plastic pipe in position, burying the plastic pipe into the soil, and providing further fixation for the reservoir onto the flower pot; whereby the plant irrigation system utilizes capillary action to transmit water from the reservoir to a plant in a flower pot via the wick enclosed in the plastic pipe thereby automatically controlling and adjusting required amount of water to meet different demands of various plants in different living environments.

It has been found that a disk is often placed under a flower pot so as to receive excessive water for preventing the water from overflowing to contaminate the environment. However, since the disk and the flower pot are closely connected together, this will block the air convection and may have a large number of mosquitoes and the like develop there. In addition, it is unfortunate that many expensive plants often die of excessive or insufficient water. Hence, many attempts have been made to provide a watering system which can automatically control and adjust the required amount of water to the plant. Nevertheless, all watering systems in the market are impractical and inconvenient to use, and they are too complicated in structure and too expensive in cost.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,231,975 to Weitzel 2d, a watering attachment for flower-pots is disclosed. Such a device includes an annular container for receiving water, hinged arms adapted to be swung inwardly for engagement with upper edge of the flower pot, and a needle valve for providing intermittent dropping of the water from the container into the flower pot. However, the Weitzel reference utilizes a mechanical means to supply constantly a certain amount of water to the flower pot and so it cannot automatically control and adjust the required amount of water to the plant. Further, it is necessary to mount the watering device on a flower pot before the flower or the like is planted in the flower pot. Furthermore, once the flower is planted in the flower pot, it will be very difficult and inconvenient to dismount the watering device therefrom. Moreover, such a watering device must be adapted to a corresponding flower pot and cannot be used for larger or smaller flower pots. In addition, the structure thereof is too complicated thus making it infeasible for mass production and popular uses.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,231,976 to Weitzel 2d, the device for watering flower pots is designed to regulate and adjust the water flow to drip at a constant rate at all times. This device mainly comprises a circular closed tank engageable with the upper edge of a flower pot, a wall partitioning the tank into a large supply chamber and a small feed chamber, a valve connection between the large supply chamber and the small feed chamber, and an adjustable valved discharge outlet. Nevertheless, as the previous U.S. Pat., this reference still fails to suggest a device which can automatically control and adjust the required amount of water to the plant. Besides, the device according to this reference is inconvenient in use and also complicated in structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,400,628 to Rudolph teaches a self-irrigating flower pot which utilizes an absorbent wick extending from a water chamber to the soil within the flower pot and controls the quantity of water supplied to the soil by drawing a U-shaped rod upward through the rotation of a nut so as to compress the absorbent wick against a plate. Although this reference obviates the drawback of the above-mentioned two U.S. patents, this reference is not an independent watering system and must be specially designed and constructed with a flower pot thus increasing the cost thereof. In addition, the hooks according to this reference cannot be adapted for use to flower pots with various sizes. This reference is impractical in household use and also complicated in structure.
Another watering system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,747,332, entitled "FLOWER POT WATERING DEVICE", and designed for providing continuous moisture for the soil within a flower pot so that the flower pot may be left unattended for a certain period of time. Such a device makes use of an absorbent wick to transfer water from a receptacle through a tubular stake and guide member projected into the soil within the flower pot. Anyhow, this reference must be disposed on a higher position than the flower pot and cannot be directly hanged on the flower pot thereby causing much inconvenience in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,121 to Modeweg, entitled "PLANT IRRIGATING DEVICE", discloses a device aimed at facilitating the controlled irrigation of potted plants from a central reservoir. This device includes a central reservoir, a tubular member, a spring clip surrounding the tubular member, a nozzle adapted to be inserted into the soil within a flower pot, a rotatable sleeve member mounted on the nozzle, and an absorbent wick. However, this reference is designed for supplying water to a plurality of flower pots in a garden at the same time and cannot be conveniently mounted on various flower pots. Accordingly, this reference is only suitable for gardening and is in no way relevant to the subject invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,069,807 to Wall, entitled "DEVICE FOR WATERING AND FEEDING PLANTS, FLOWERS AND THE LIKE", a device for watering and feeding plants is disclosed. Such a device mainly comprises a water container hanged on the upper edge of a flower pot and a tube extending from the water container to the bottom of the flower pot so that the water will flow into the soil within the flower pot by a capillary or combined capillary and siphon system. Nevertheless, this reference cannot be adapted for use to flower pots with different sizes and furthermore, this reference is inconvenient to use, as it is necessary to use a separate spade to dig up all the soil in the flower pot and bury the lower part of the tube into the lowest part of the interior of the flower pot before using this device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,143 to Alwell, entitled "PLANT WATERING REMINDER", is directed to a plant watering device adapted for use to a flower pot. Such a device comprises a housing means engageable with the upper edge of a flower pot, a retaining means for keeping the housing means in a fixed position, a reservoir for receiving water, a fluid transferring means extending from the reservoir into the soil within the flower pot, and a stop means for preventing the fluid transferring means from falling down. Nevertheless, as the previous U.S. patent to Wall, this watering device cannot be adapted for use to flower pots with different sizes hence making it inconvenient to use. In addition, it is necessary to plant the flower or the like in the flower pot after mounting the device thereon, which is not practical at all. Besides, once the flower is planted in the flower pot, it will be very difficult to dismount the device therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,951 to Becker et al, entitled "APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FLUIDS TO POTTED PLANTS", concerns a plant watering apparatus which is designed to be removably associated with potted plants. Such a device includes a fluid reservoir having a cover, a soil probe unit having an axially extending wick receiving passage, an absorbent wick extending from the fluid reservoir into the passage of the probe, and a sliding door for changing the area of the absorbent in contact with the soil within the flower pot. However, this reference is not suitable for use with small flower pots and the sliding door will increase the cost thereof. Furthermore, it is necessary for people to remove the whole device from the flower pot when they desire to adjust the sliding door thus rendering it inconvenient and impractical in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,829 to Zeltner et al, entitled "MOISTURE CONTROL APPARATUS", discloses an apparatus for controlling moisture content in soil within a flower pot. However, this reference fails to disclose a watering system for supplying water to a flower pot. Further, this reference does not suggest or teach a watering system which can be conveniently mounted on the upper edge of a flower pot in use.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,627 to Hauk, entitled "PLANT FEEDING AND WATERING METHOD AND APPARATUS", a plant watering system is disclosed. According to this reference, the system includes a container for receiving fluid, a first absorbent wick, a second absorbent wick, a means for retaining part of the first absorbent wick in constant contact with the part of the second absorbent wick, and a plate-shaped member for controlling contact area between the first absorbent wick and the second absorbent wick. Anyway, this reference is too complicated in structure and as all the above-mentioned references, it is still necessary to use a separate tool to dig up the soil and bury the absorbent into the soil within the flower pot before use. Besides, such a plant watering system cannot be adapted for use to flower pots with different sizes.
Australian Pat. No. AU-A-35258/89 to Schadel, entitled "WATERING WAND", discloses a plant watering system which includes a fluid reservoir and a wick extending from the reservoir to the vicinity of roots of the plant wherein the wick is used for conveying water by capillary action from the reservoir to the plant and the wick is provided with an inner core and a substantially moisture impervious cover. However, the watering system according to this application cannot be adapted for use to flower pots with various sizes and still requires a separate spade to bury the wick into the flower pot.
Australian Pat. No. AU-A1-71 275/81 to Few, entitled "PLASTIC IRRIGATION BAG", is related to a watering device which includes a reservoir for containing water, an opening formed in the upper part of the reservoir, an outlet formed in the lower part of the reservoir and communicating with a flexible tube, and a flow rate control valve for controlling the flow of water from the reservoir through the flexible tube. Nevertheless, as the previous Australian Pat. to Schadel, the hanger according to the said Few reference is fixedly connected with the reservoir and cannot be replaced with a larger one for adapting to a larger flower pot. In addition, it is still necessary to use a separate tool to dig up the soil and bury the supply tube therein. Furthermore, such watering device cannot automatically control and adjust the required amount of water to the plant.
Australian Pat. No. AU-A-27485/84, entitled "PLANT WATERER", is related to a portable plant waterer which includes a storage vessel adapted to be filled with water and having a waterproof tube, means for supporting the vessel in a position generally above the soil surrounding a plant, and a wick within the waterproof tube extending from within the vessel at the lowermost point in use through the tube to the outside of the vessel. However, the storage vessel is difficult to be supported firmly, and it will occupy a considerably large space when supported above the surface of the soil in a flower pot thereby obstructing the growth of the plant and the job of plant care. In addition, there is no indication of water refill and water consumption. Furthermore, it also needs a separate tool to dig the soil to fix this waterer. Accordingly, this reference is impractical in use.
International publication No. WO 87/06095, entitled "AUTOMATIC WATERING SYSTEM FOR PLANTS IN POTS OR IN OPEN GROUND", is directed to a system for automatically watering plants in the flower pot or in the open ground. The system utilizes a wick enclosed in a waterproof tube to transfer water in a receptacle to a flower pot. However, this reference cannot be conveniently mounted on a flower pot. In addition, the water regulator is complicated in structure and difficult to judge in practical use. Further, it is necessary to use a separate spade to dig up the soil in the flower pot and bury the lower part of the tube into the flower pot hence causing much inconvenience in use.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved plant irrigation system which may obviate and mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.


In one embodiment, the present invention is a power adapter for coupling electrical power from a standard North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) power coupling to one or more electronic devices. In one embodiment, the power adapter includes a plug connector adapted for receiving electrical power from the power coupling, a receptacle adapted for providing the electrical power to a slave cable (e.g., an inter-vehicular slave cable), and at least one terminal adapted for providing the electrical power to the electronic devices (e.g., a computer system). The power adapter is thus capable of maximizing the potential of the power coupling to provide electrical power for multiple simultaneous uses.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) standardization agreement (STANAG) 4074 ("Auxiliary Power Unit Connections for Starting Tactical Land Vehicles") defines the physical and electrical characteristics of a power coupling provisioned on many military vehicles used throughout NATO countries. The purpose of the power coupling is to provide, by use of an inter-vehicular slave cable, means for "jump starting" a second vehicle which has low power and is unable to be started in the usual manner.
Just as cigarette lighters in consumer vehicles have become a popular means for providing power to other electrical devices (e.g., cellular phone chargers), the power coupling on military vehicles is often used to supply electrical power to additional devices that are temporarily installed in the vehicle (e.g., computer systems). Typically only a single power coupling is provided in a vehicle, although several devices may need to be simultaneously powered at any given time. Competition therefore exists between devices for access to the power coupling. Moreover, use of the power coupling to provide electrical power to these devices prevents the power coupling from being available for its primary purpose, namely, jump starting second vehicles.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a power adapter for use with standard NATO power couplings.


According to the present invention, a subscriber identity module in a wireless local area network is authenticated using an authentication vector with no decrease in the confidentiality of the calculation processing, even when a triplet is employed as the authentication vector. An HLR of a mobile communication network comprises an attachment unit for attaching to a RAND field of an authentication vector, which is used to authenticate an SIM in a wireless local area network, information specifying calculation information that is constituted by at least one of an algorithm and secret information for use in the authentication calculation. The SIM, which is mounted on a wireless LAN terminal, comprises a calculation information storage unit storing in advance a plurality of the calculation information, a specification unit for specifying the calculation information to be used in the calculation from the plurality of calculation information stored in the calculation information storage unit by referring to information specifying the calculation information, and a calculation unit for performing the calculation on the basis of the specified calculation information.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an authentication vector generation device, a subscriber identity module, a wireless communication system, an authentication vector generation method, a calculation method, and a subscriber authentication method.
2. Related Background of the Invention
In IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication 2000), which is a third generation mobile communication system, and GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications), which is a second generation mobile communication system that is compatible with IMT-2000, authentication has been standardized in the following manner. A subscriber identity module (USIM: Universal Subscriber Identity Module, or SIM: Subscriber Identity Module), issued by a network operator, a service provider or the like to which a subscriber of a mobile communication network is contracted, is mounted on subscriber side terminal equipment (ME: Mobile Equipment, for example a mobile telephone, cellular phone or other wireless terminal), thereby realizing mutual authentication between the mobile communication network (to be referred to as the "home network" hereafter) that is serviced by the network operator, a service provider or the like to which the subscriber is contracted, and the subscriber identity module of the home network, during outgoing-call, incoming-call, and so on.
In IMT-2000 and GSM, the mobile communication network comprises the following network nodes for performing authentication: an authentication vector generation device (HLR: Home Location Register) for generating an authentication vector (AV) used to authenticate the subscriber identity module, and an authentication device (VLR: Visitor Location Register) for performing authentication processing with the subscriber identity module. In IMT-2000 and GSM, subscriber identity module authentication processing is performed in the following manner. First, an authentication device transmits to the subscriber identity module predetermined data included in an authentication vector generated by the authentication vector generation device. A calculation is then performed in the subscriber identity module using the predetermined data. The calculation result is transmitted to the authentication device, and verified in the authentication device using the predetermined data included in the authentication vector. This is described in "3GPP TS 33. 102 V3. 13. 0 (2002-12): "3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP); Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; 3G Security; Security Architecture (Release 1999)"" (Non-patent Document 1), for example.
In IMT-2000 and GSM, authentication using the authentication vector described above has been standardized for use in a wireless local area network (LAN) connected to the mobile communication network produced by IMT-2000 and GSM. This is described in "3GPP TS 23. 234 V6. 0. 0 (2004-03): "3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; 3GPP System to Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) interworking; System description (Release 6)"" (Non-patent Document 2), for example.

Authentication vector generation device, subscriber identity module, wireless communication system, authentication vector generation method, calculation method, and subscriber authentication method


A clamp for securing photovoltaic panels to a support tube of a photovoltaic panel array has a lower brace for positioning on the support tube perpendicular to the support tube. The lower brace has a central web with a pair of side walls depending from opposite edges of the web. Support shoulders are formed in the side walls. Straps have tabs on an upper end that land on the support shoulders. An upper brace has flanges for engaging upper edge surfaces of adjacent ones of the panels. At least one deflectable standoff positions the upper brace a distance from the lower brace that is selected to be greater than a thickness of the adjacent ones of the panels. Tightening bolts between the braces deflects the standoff and draws the upper brace toward the lower brace to clamp the adjacent ones of the panels between the lower and upper braces.

Solar or photovoltaic panels may be installed with a tracking system to pivot and track the sun during the day. The solar panels may also be installed with fixed systems, or with systems that allow manual adjustment of the panels with changes in seasons. One type of system has parallel rows of panels, each row extending north and south. The panels are mounted on a torque or support tube. Each row has a separate support tube, which is supported on posts. For tracking systems, a drive shaft extends perpendicular to the support tubes and has mechanical devices that convert movement of the drive shaft into rotation of the support tube. A controller programmed to track the sun operates the drive shaft.
The solar panels are typically mounted side-by-side to the support tube with clamps. Each clamp may have upper and lower braces secured on top of the support tube by a retainer. The retainer, for example, may be two bolts extending downward from the upper brace alongside the support tube and through holes in a flat plate located below the support tube. Nuts secure the bolts to the flat plate, and also tighten the upper brace to the lower brace. Some clamps, particularly those having longer length braces, employ in addition two shorter length bolts at the ends of the braces to tighten ends of the upper brace to the lower brace. The workers need to be careful to assure that the lower brace is perpendicular to the support tube, one installed. Edges of the adjacent solar panels will be positioned on the lower brace. An upper brace will then be placed over the solar panel edges and secured by bolts to the lower brace. Normally, three workers are required to install solar panels on a support tube.


The present invention relates to the field of management of image data in data storage. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and device for automatic detection of duplicate images in data storage and corresponding device while taking into account user perception of what he considers to be duplicate images, which method and device are particularly efficient with regard to the personalized, automatic management of large amounts of image data.

The proliferation of digital devices that comprise a photo camera has favored an explosion of the volume of image data stored by a user, and it is quite easy for a user to end up with many image duplicates in the user's image library.
This situation can be even worse in the case of a home network environment, where several users can add images to an image library, the library possibly being physically distributed on several, dispersed storage devices, for example on hard drives of different PCs, on a NAS (Network Attached Storage), on USB keys, etc.).
The reasons why an image library can end up by containing many duplicate images are diverse. Unintentional duplicate images are produced through copy actions. For example, a user who organizes photos in different directories does not move the photos, which would have been appropriate, but rather copies them unintentionally; a user that wishes to transfer photos via e-mail adapts the photo resolution for including them in his e-mail but unintentionally keeps the low-resolution copies; a user that views images with a viewer application modifies these by rotation, or modification of color and contrast and unintentionally keeps the unmodified copy in addition to the modified copy. Other copy actions are intentional and are due to the fact that the user has no longer an overview of the data that he has stored, a situation that is getting worse when the user has multiple storage devices and many images, and gets even worse when multiple users add and copy data to the multitude of images stored. The user, knowing that he does not have a clear overview of the images stored, worsens this situation by preferring finally to copy rather than to move or replace images, by fear of deleting them. This creates a situation where the user no longer knows which images are disposable copies and which are not.
In all these scenarios, a duplicate detection tool can be useful, to assist the user with the cleanup or management tasks of the user's image library.
Prior-art detection of image duplicates allows to detect duplicates according to criteria such as checksum data, creation data, file name, file size, and image format. Duplicates are detected that comply with any of the selected criteria and upon each detection user intervention is needed to determine if the user wishes to delete or not the detected duplicates from the image library. The reason why the final decision about what actions to carry out on the duplicate images is left to the end user is that the perception of what constitutes a duplicate image is a subjective matter. Depending on the user and the context, a duplicate image can be: an exact (bit-by-bit) copy of an image, a copy of an image visually identical but that has been encoded with a different compression algorithm, a copy of an image visually identical but that has undergone geometrical or colorimetric transformations, etc.
What is thus needed is a method capable of translating this subjective perception into parameters required for de-duplication so that the operation can be autonomous and adapted to the user's duplicate-image perception.
The European patent application no. EP11306284.8 filed Oct. 4, 2011, "Method of automatic management of a collection of images and corresponding device", proposes a method to detect image duplicates that uses a set of tags to identify the different copies of an image with a label representative of the kind of duplicate, i.e., duplicate or near-duplicate. In the near duplicate case, the tag also indicates how the copy of the image differs from the original one. In some particular cases, the information supplied by these tags is used by the end user to make a decision about what duplicate images to remove from the photo library. The reason why the final decision about what actions to carry out on the duplicate images is left to the end user is that the perception of what constitutes a duplicate image is a subjective matter. The system described in the mentioned European patent application is conceived to identify the broadest range of transformations that an image can undergo in the framework of a residential photo library. The checksum technique is used to detect the bit-by-bit exact duplicate images and the fingerprint technique is used to detect the near-duplicate images. The fingerprint technique is tuned in order to detect the most severe transformations that can be applied to an image in a personal photo library because the technique has to be conceived for the worst case conditions. It is worth mentioning that the computation time of the fingerprint of an image increases with the complexity of the transformation to be detected and it is much higher (up to 500 times) than the computation time of the checksum of an image. This is not optimum in the cases where the user considers as duplicates only the bit-by-bit exact copies of an image, or the visually identical images but with different resolutions, because in these cases the checksum computation tool or a simpler but faster fingerprint computation tool could be used to identify the desired duplicate and near-duplicate images. Therefore, it is desirable to take into account for the automatic management also the duplicate-image perception that the user has.
In this invention disclosure, we propose a method to capture the subjective duplicate-image perception from the end user and to translate this subjective perception into the objective parameters required for an automatic management of images in an image collection.

Method of automatic management of images in a collection of images and corresponding device


A method for formation of micro-prilled poloxamer particles is disclosed. The particles find special use in pharmaceutical formulations. The process involves use of atomizing nozzles at higher than normal pressure atomizing gas, high atomizing gas temperature, use of high feed temperatures to reduce the viscosity of the poloxamer and optionally sieving after prill formation in prilling towers. The poloxamer particles are spherical and preferably have an average nominal diameter of less than or equal to 106 microns. The process is very cost effective and rapid.

Many current pharmaceuticals are very efficacious and potent, thus very small doses are needed to provide the desired benefit. This causes problems in formulation of the pharmaceutical into a consumer usable form. The difficulty is to devise a method to ensure that a consistent dose of the pharmaceutical is present in each tablet or other drug delivery form. A typical method for accomplishing this is to formulate tablets with a variety of additive agents to increase the size of a tablet to a usable size for consumers while optimizing the manufacturing process and the tablet end use properties. Classes of additives include fillers, binders, disintegrating agents, dissolving or solubilizing agents, lubricants, glidants, colorants, flavors, sweetening agents, and wetting agents. One difficulty associated with mixing a variety of powders into a single tablet is that if the particle sizes are different it can be difficult to achieve homogeneity of distribution of the various components in the final powder and therefore in the final tablet. This variation in the particle size of ingredients often results in the necessity of increasing the overage of the active drug ingredient in order to ensure a minimum potency in each and every tablet, resulting in additional amount and cost for the drug ingredient. Maintaining a small particle size reduces this variation.
Typical solubilizers include low melting polymers such as the poloxamer class of polymers. These polymers are block co-polymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide and have the advantage of being relatively low melting polymers with typical melting temperatures of from about 45 to 60° C. Thus, they are solid at room temperature, but melt readily at higher temperatures.
One way to ensure homogeneity of distribution of the various components in the final powder is to find a way to make all the powders have about the same particle size. Typically, the desired particle size is less than 200 microns and often less than 50 microns. The problem for the use of poloxamers is that their low melting temperature makes most milling practices impractical because the poloxamer either melts or is charred during the milling process. One solution has been the use of micro-milled poloxamer that is manufactured under cryogenic conditions, such as cooling the poloxamer to less than −70° C. then rapid milling. Preferably the milling is carried out at a temperature of less than −100° C. There are numerous problems associated with this solution the first being the cost to produce a micro-milled poloxamer. It requires the use of a cooling agent such as liquid nitrogen which is expensive. There is also a high labor component in part due to relatively low rates of production. The material must be warmed to avoid aggregation. The process is slow in part because it requires many steps. Finally, good manufacturing practices in the formation of pharmaceuticals require scrupulous attention to the detection and elimination of any potential contaminants. This is hard to do and costly with the cryogenic micro-milling process making it less desirable.
It would be desirable to develop a rapid, cost-effective process for formation of poloxamer particles that would enable them to be readily used in pharmaceutical formulations. Preferably the process will produce a high yield of the desired particles with minimal possibility of contamination from foreign material.

Method for formation of micro-prilled polymers


Provided are a nitride semiconductor light emitting device including a coat film formed at a light emitting portion and including an aluminum nitride crystal or an aluminum oxynitride crystal, and a method of manufacturing the nitride semiconductor light emitting device. Also provided is a nitride semiconductor transistor device including a nitride semiconductor layer and a gate insulating film which is in contact with the nitride semiconductor layer and includes an aluminium nitride crystal or an aluminum oxynitride crystal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a nitride semiconductor light emitting device, a method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor light emitting device, and a nitride semiconductor transistor device.
2. Description of the Background Art
Generally, among nitride semiconductor light emitting devices, nitride semiconductor laser devices are known for low reliability caused by degradation of light emitting portions. The degradation of a light emitting portion is considered to be caused by excessively generated heat from the light emitting portion due to the presence of a non-radiative recombination level. Oxidation of the light emitting portion is thought to be the main factor for the non-radiative recombination level.
Therefore, for the purpose of preventing oxidation of the light emitting portion, a coat film of alumina (Al2O3), silicon oxide (SiO2) or the like is formed at the light emitting portion (see for example Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2002-335053).

Nitride semiconductor light emitting device, method of manufacturing nitride semiconductor light emitting device, and nitride semiconductor transistor device


In a quality control system for manufacturing industrial products, the product quality history and the manufacturing process history are collected and collated to calculate the correlation magnitude between the two histories. The candidates for the cause of quality variation hidden in the manufacturing processes are listed, and the correlation magnitude between all combinations of the variates of the manufacturing process history are calculated. Further, by utilizing the manufacturing sequence history used for an input plan, a causation connecting structure model between the manufacturing processes of the manufacturing line is automatically generated and automatically analyzed thereby to automatically extract the fundamental cause of quality variation from the candidates for the cause of quality variation. By doing so, the cause of quality variation of industrial products manufactured through a complicated process can be traced in a complicated connecting structure in the manufacturing history data.

This invention relates to a product quality control system for controlling the manufacture of products, or in particular to a quality control system for products manufactured through a plurality of processes and supply chain elements.
A method and an apparatus for controlling the product quality on a semiconductor manufacturing line are disclosed in JP-A-2002-110493 (Patent Document 1) and JP-A-2000-252180 (Patent Document 2). These patents relate to a method and an apparatus for controlling the product quality based on the analysis of the causation connection of the product quality data and the manufacturing data. The product quality data to be analyzed is the electrical characteristics and yield of the semiconductor wafer, while the manufacturing data refers to the history of the manufacturing equipment, the manufacturing specification, the in-line measurement and the equipment route for the manufacturing processes and steps. As a method to analyze the causation connection, the multistage multivariate analysis (Y=A·X) is used with the product quality data as an object variable (Y) and the manufacturing data as an explanatory variable (X).
Specifically, first, in order to avoid the problem of incalculability and insufficient accuracy due to the multiple collinear phenomenon caused by the simultaneous change in a plurality of elements of the explanatory variable, the elements of the explanatory variable are divided into a few number of predetermined groups. Then, the multiple linear regression analysis (Yi=A·Xi) is applied to all the division groups, and the elements of the explanatory variable are reduced in each division group by the forward-backward stepwise selection. The explanatory variables thus reduced are subjected again to the multiple linear regression analysis repeatedly in multiple stages to extract an abnormal element.
As a product quality control technique for the manufacturing process of steel or the like, a method to analyze the causes of the defect of the manufacturing data from the product quality data is disclosed in JP-A-2003-114713 (Patent Document 3). The product quality data dealt with in Patent Document 3 concerns only the quality defect. Also, the multivariate process data is handled as the manufacturing data to be analyzed. In Patent Document 3, the principal component analysis of the manufacturing data is used as a method to analyze the causes of the quality defect. Specifically, the multivariate process data is converted into a few number of principal component scores due to linear combination by the principal component analysis. Then, the residual and the distance are calculated, and in the case where the calculation result is not included in the permissible range, the degree of contribution of each process data is calculated to extract a causative process data.
On the other hand, a technique for the automobile manufacturing line is described in JP-A-2002-251212 (Patent Document 4). Patent Document 4 discloses a method and a system for determining whether the substandard quality of high-ranked parts (module or product) manufactured by combining a plurality of types of low-ranked parts is caused by the defects of the low-ranked parts or the assembly process. The product quality data to be analyzed in Patent Document 4 is the vehicle body assembled by the completed product maker.
The information used for the low-ranked parts is the dimensions and the shape of the front and rear door units assembled by the assembler. The information on the lowest-ranked parts is the dimensions and shape of the door units handled by the parts maker. The cause of the substandard quality is determined by collation between the product and the quality data in each tier of the parts hierarchy, and as long as the parts are conforming in all the tiers of the hierarchy, it is determined that the substandard quality is caused by the assembly at the completed product maker.
A plurality of calculation methods of the correlation model (Y=A·X) of the object variable (Y) and the explanatory variable (X) based on the projection method to avoid the incalculability problem and the insufficient accuracy due to the multiple collinear phenomenon caused by the simultaneous change of a plurality of the elements of the explanatory variable are described in "Chemometrics, Data Analysis for the Laboratory and Chemical Plant", WILEY (2003), pp. 412–415 (Nonpatent Document 1).
On the other hand, a graphical modeling method constituting one of the multivariate analysis methods in the statistical science is discussed in "Graphical Models", OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS (1996), Steffen L. Lauritzen, p. 1 and pp. 123–157 (Nonpatent Document 2). Specifically, an outline of the mathematic foundation of the method to visually express an approximation model of a complicated connecting structure between a plurality of variates in the real world by a mathematic graph and search and verify the particular model from the partial correlation coefficient.

Quality control system for manufacturing industrial products


A polarized lens is mounted to a helmet having a transparent face shield to cover a top portion of the face shield and reduce glare in the user's field of vision. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the polarized lens does not cover the lower portion of the transparent face shield so that the user's primary field of vision can be adjusted to pass through the uncovered lower portion of the transparent face shield when the user tilts their head back slightly. The lens is preferably attached to the helmet using hook and loop fastener. On a sunny day, a helmet wearer, e.g. a snowmobiler or a motorcycle rider, can attach the polarized lens to reduce glare, and can tilt their head back slightly if the sunlight disappears temporarily (e.g. when the vehicle passes into the woods). In addition, the user can easily remove the polarized lens if the sunlight disappears for an extended time.

Helmets worn by snowmobilers typically include a transparent face shield. This is also often true for motorcycle helmets. The transparent face shield is normally hinge-mounted to the helmet so that the face shield can rotate between a position in front of the user's face to a position above the user's face. Under normal operating conditions, the helmet wearer places the face shield in a closed position to protect the face from wind and/or debris. Usually, the hinge includes a ratchet mechanism to lock the face shield at various degrees of rotation and prevent rotation of the face shield unless the user uses their hand to move the face shield.
Face shields in snowmobile and motorcycle helmets are either clear or tinted. Many snowmobilers and motorcycle riders prefer clear face shields because a tinted face shield is not desirable when it is dark or otherwise not sunny outside. A common occurrence, especially among snowmobilers, is to alternate the use of clear and tinted face shields depending on the weather conditions. The replacement of face shields, however, requires tools and is cumbersome. Also, it is often difficult to store an additional face shield on the vehicle. For these reasons, many snowmobilers or motorcycle riders use helmets having clear, non-tinted face shields, and wear sunglasses underneath the helmet when it is sunny outside. Sunglasses worn underneath a snowmobile helmet tend to fog. Also, the added pressure against the head from the helmet pushing on the ear piece of the sunglasses can cause headaches in some of people.
In addition, it is difficult for a driver to see through a tinted face shield when the vehicle passes from a sunlit area temporarily into a shaded area. This is a common occurrence when snowmobiling because in as much as many snowmobile trails frequently pass into and out of wooded areas. Likewise, when a snowmobiler wearing sunglasses under the helmet drives into a shaded area, such as into the woods, it is difficult to see through the sunglasses due to the relative darkness.

Method of forming sheet material assemblage


A seat structure for a chair which has a frame with a front frame section and a rear frame section, the front frame section and rear frame section being joined by an articulation joint such that the front frame section may be articulately moved with respect to the rear frame section. There are provided stopper means to limit the degree of articulation of the front frame section. There is also provided means for connecting the front and rear frame sections together.

The present invention relates to a seat structure for a chair or the like and more particularly, relates to a seat structure for a chair wherein the seat structure has a articulated portion.
Today, seats for people typically have a seat portion and a back portion which may or may not be adjustable relative to each other. Normally, both the seat portion and the back portion are rigid. As such, they do not provide any capability for movement or adjustment to a person""s body and/or seating position including the leg position. It will be understood that compatibility between a person""s body and the seat along with an ability to move therein are essential for comfort.
There have been various proposals in the art for seats with various degrees of adjustment. Thus, there are disclosed seats which have adjustable backs relative to the seat portion and as well, some of the seats have lumbar supports.
A particular type of chair having a seat portion is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,126 which teaches a composite support frame structure for the construction of a seat. The support structure comprises a rigid continuous rod like frame formed in a closed loop and which has opposed diverging rod like side members which lie in a common plane. While such a seat has received a wide degree of acceptance, it does not have any means for articulation.
Naturally, it would be desirable to provide an office type chair which has a maximum degree of comfort and adjustability since the user must occupy the chair for relatively long periods of time and the user must also be able to concentrate on their work without being distracted by uncomfortable seating. One desirable adjustment for a chair is the incorporation of a flexible area in the seat front edge upon which the user""s thighs rest. This can be particularly desirable in chairs having a tilting seat so that as the user leans back in the chair thereby tilting the seat, the leading edge of the seat is depressed downwardly to allow the user""s feet to remain on the floor.
While it has been recognized that such an adjustment is desirable and indeed there have been proposals for structures which allow the front portion of the seat to be articulated with respect to the rear portion, many of these devices require manual adjustment.
Also, many of the prior art mechanisms are costly to manufacture and assemble and incorporate complicated adjustment devices which are difficult to conceal internally to the seating unit. It is also being proposed to use foam, which is flexible, to achieve an articulation of the seat. One problem which foam presents is the breaking down of the same. Also, stretching of the fabric can present a problem. With the increased emphasis upon the visual appeal of office furniture, it is highly desirable that the controls be maintained internally to the seating unit itself.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a seat having an articulation capability.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a seat structure for a chair, the seat structure comprising a frame having a front frame section and a rear frame section, the rear frame section having a generally U shaped configuration with a rear transverse frame member and first and second rear frame side members, the front frame section having a front transverse frame member and first and second front frame side members, the first rear frame side member and the first front frame side member being joined by a first articulation means, the second rear frame side member and the second front frame side member being joined by a second articulation means, and the first and second articulation means permitting articulation of the front frame section with respect to the rear frame section, at least one of the first and second articulation means having stopper means to limit the degree of articulation of the front frame section.
In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided for an improved chair having a back, a seat, and a support structure for the seat, the improvement comprising a frame having a front frame section and a rear frame section, the rear frame section having a generally U shaped configuration with a rear transverse frame member and first and second rear frame side members, the front frame section having a front transverse frame member and first and second front frame side members, the first rear frame side member and the first front frame side member being joined by a first articulation means, the second rear frame side member and the second front frame side member being joined by a second articulation means, and the first and second articulation means permitting articulation of the front frame section with respect to the rear frame section, at least one of the first and second articulation means having stopper means to limit the degree of articulation of the front frame section.
The articulated seat of the present invention is designed for use with the type of structure shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,126, the teachings of which are hereby incorporated by reference. In other words, the seat structure of the present invention is one wherein tubular elements are used for the frame of the seat structure.
The placement of the articulation means may vary although generally, it is preferred that the articulation means be between 125 mm to 175 mm from the front edge of the chair. Such a spacing has been found to provide the greatest degree of comfort.
It will be understood that the present invention may be used with different types of seats including a monocoque type frame structure and/or a structure wherein separate seats and back portions are provided.


An iron type head body comprises: a material body 13 made from a forgeable metal; and a disparate metallic member 12 made from a metal having nearly equal or smaller specific gravity than the material body 13, and different constituents. By providing the disparate metallic member 12 inside the upper portion of the head body not adjacent to the sole, the head can be lightened. Moreover, by confining the disparate metallic member 12 in the portion upside of the sole 4 not adjacent to the sole 5, the head body 11 can be hypobaric, while the C.G. of the head 2 can be lowered entirely in addition to being lightened.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a golf club head.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a conventional technique, Japanese Patent Registered Publication No. 3059397 discloses a method for manufacturing a golf club head comprising the steps of forming a golf club head body from a forgeable metallic material of small specific gravity; providing a composite material member to a placing position locating inside the head body, the composite material member having large specific gravity compared to the head body and high melting point compared to the forging temperature of the forgeable material of the head body; and forming the head body by forging so as to confine the composite material member in the head body.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Registered Publication No. 3140991 discloses a method for manufacturing a golf club head joining a disparate metal member to a head body. This method comprises the steps of forming at least one opening or one concave portion on a head body member prior to shaping the head body; placing the disparate metal members in the opening(s) or concave portion; then joining the head body member and the disparate metal members together while forming the head body in a desired shape.
In the former method of the above-mentioned two conventional methods, a technique such as combining the head body with relatively small specific gravity and the composite material member of relatively large specific gravity is only available for lowering the C.G. of the head or enlarging the depth of the head (a distance between the center of the gravity of the head and a face) by placing the composite material member adjacent to the sole of the head, and thus the degree of freedom of designing the head would be limited. Moreover, as described above, the composite material member having larger specific gravity than that of the head body and higher melting point than the forging temperature of the head body is provided on the placing position inside the head body according to the first introduced method. This results in the fact such that the head body would crack up when the temperature of the inside of the head body does not reach the forging temperature, while it would be overheated when the temperature of the inside of the head body reaches the forging temperature. In order to prevent the head body from cracking, the composite material member needs to be placed on a portion of the head body where amount of the deformation due to forging is less. Accordingly, the degree of freedom of designing the head is further limited.
On the other hand, according to the latter conventional method, the opening(s) or concave portion is formed on the head body member prior to shaping the head body. Accordingly, the whole metallic material for forming the head body member is not utilizable, and thus there is a limitation in the reduction of the manufacturing cost.
Moreover, in a case manufacturing a wood type metal head by integrating a plurality of metallic shells while using the latter conventional method, a thickness of each metallic shell is generally arranged about 3.0 mm from a standpoint of effectiveness or the like. In this thickness, however, the head body including the disparate metal members would crack up when the temperature of the inside of the head body does not reach the forging temperature, while it would be overheated when the temperature of the inside of the head body reaches the forging temperature. By suitably designing the placing position of the disparate metal member, the head can be prevented from cracking, but the degree of freedom of designing the head is resultantly limited.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method for manufacturing a golf club head


In the parallel operation of power supply units, a high line ripple current may be observed in output when the power supply units (PSUs) are supplied with different inputs. For example, a high line ripple current may be observed when PSUs were supplied with different line frequency inputs and/or when PSUs were supplied with different phase angle input lines. A low pass filter is in a control loop which is capable of filtering the line frequency to get an average current reference signal. The average current reference signal is compared with the real time output current to generate an error signal. This error signal is fed back to a voltage control loop to adjust the output in order to compensate the line ripple.

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
A power supply unit is an electrical device that supplies electric power to an electrical load. Indeed, power supply units typically have a power input connection, which receives energy in the form of electric current from a source, and one or more power output connections that deliver current to the load. The primary function of a power supply is to convert electric current from a source to a correct voltage, current, and frequency to power a load. Indeed, a power supply unit may perform a variety of functions, such as, but not limited to, power conversion, alternating current to direct current (AC-DC) or DC-DC conversion, adjusting voltage levels, and providing backup power during power grid outages.
A power supply system typically includes multiple power sources (or power supply units) that provide power and power management functionality including load current sharing among the multiple power sources.
Unfortunately, conventional power supply systems suffer numerous deficiencies with respect to current sharing. For example, when multiple power supplies are connected in parallel to share the supply of a load current, and one or more of the power supplies are supplied with different inputs (e.g., different phases or different frequencies), the output current supplied by power supplies may exhibit a large ripple current.


A system has: a stack having anodes supplied with anode fluid and cathodes supplied with cathode fluid; an evaporating portion generating steam by evaporating water; a water deliverer delivering the water to the evaporating portion; and a reforming portion producing the anode fluid through steam-reforming on fuel using the steam generated by the evaporating portion. A controller executes a determination process that determines whether an open circuit voltage of the stack increases while the water is temporarily fed to the evaporating portion, when the stack is restarted from a state where power generation of the stack is suspended but the temperature of the evaporating portion is a reference temperature being capable of generating steam, and if the open circuit voltage has increased or is on an increase, the controller executes a restart process for resuming the power generation of the stack.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fuel cell system incorporating a steam generation system that has an evaporating portion for generating steam for fuel reforming from raw material water (water as a raw material), and relates to a fuel cell system diagnosis method.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-243594 describes a technique of detecting generation of steam by feeding raw material water to an evaporating portion in a fuel cell system. According to this technique, generation of steam is detected based on a change in the temperature detected by a temperature sensor that is provided near a raw material water inlet of the evaporating portion. As steam is generated from the raw material water, the temperature of the ambient atmosphere decreases due to evaporation heat, and therefore generation of steam is detected based on such a decrease in the temperature of the ambient atmosphere. Further, in the fuel cell system described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-159466, the feeding of raw material water is detected through a comparison between the control signals for a raw material water feed pump and the signals of a flow sensor that is provided midway in a water pipe.
According to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-243594, if the evaporation heat of the raw material water is at a certain level or higher with respect to the thermal capacity of the evaporating portion, the temperature decreases as a result of generation of steam, and therefore the generation of steam can be detected. However, if only a small amount of the raw material water is fed and therefore the level of the evaporation heat is low, the generated steam causes only a small change in the temperature. In such a case, the generation of steam may not be detected properly. According to the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-159466, further, although it can be detected whether the raw material water in a liquid phase is fed to the evaporating portion, it is impossible to directly determine whether steam is being actually generated or has been actually generated. Thus, the technique described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-159466 is unable to cope with possible abnormalities, such as the raw material water leaking out from a midway point of the pipe and an evaporation failure due to a local temperature decrease.
Accordingly, it is not easy to determine whether raw material water has been fed to an evaporating portion and steam has been generated. Thus, there is a possibility of a lack of steam at the reforming portion. If the fuel is fed to the reforming portion despite that the steam is not sufficient, coking may occur at the reforming portion, which is not desirable in terms of the life of the reforming portion, that is, the life of the fuel cell system. It is to be noted that "coking" represents that carbon derived from the fuel fed to the reforming portion deposits on the surface of the reforming catalyst in the reforming portion, and it results in a decrease in the life of the reforming catalyst.

Fuel cell system and fuel cell system diagnosis method