A signaling pathway is identified that involves the activation of phospholipase A2 and protein kinase C in human cells, which in turn confers x-ray induction of the tumor necrosis factor xcex1 (TNF) gene. Inhibition of phospholipase A2 abolishes radiation-mediated arachidonate production, as well as the subsequent activation of protein kinase C and TNF gene expression. These phospholipase A2 inhibitors may be used to ameliorate the adverse-effects of radiotherapy associated with TNF production.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the fields of radiation biology and cell biology. More particularly, it concerns the attenuation of the effect of ionizing radiation induced activation of tumor necrosis factor by inhibitors of extranuclear signal transduction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Signaling pathways activated by DNA damage contribute to survival of prokaryotes and eukaryotic cells following exposure to x-rays or UV light. In irradiated E. coli, damaged DNA forms a complex with the Rec A protease resulting in the transcriptional induction of a variety of genes including those encoding DNA repair enzymes (Walker, 1985). In yeast, UV light and x-rays result in the induction of genes which participate in the repair of damaged DNA (Jones et al., 1991, Cole et al., 1987). Genes whose products are proposed to recognize damaged or un-replicated DNA and to participate in intracellular signaling that regulates cell cycle progression and DNA repair have been identified in S. cerevisiae and S. pombe (House et al., 1992, Enoch et al., 1992). The complexity of this signaling pathway is demonstrated by the number of genes involved in sensing DNA damage and transmitting the signal (Enoch et al., 1992). DNA damage is presumed to be the initiating event in mammalian cell induction of stress response genes following x-ray or UV exposure (Herrlich et al., 1992, Kastan et al., 1992). However, the mechanisms of DNA damage recognition have not been identified in mammalian cells.
Signal transduction pathways activated by ionizing radiation include increased phosphotransferase activity of cytoplasmic protein kinases (Hallahan et al., 1991a, Hallahan et al., 1991b, Uckun et al., 1992). Moreover, inhibition of protein kinases blocks radiation-mediated gene induction and effects diverse biological endpoints such as apoptosis (Uckun et al., 1992), radiation survival (Hallahan et al., 1992)) and induction of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) (Hallahan et al., 1991b). The calcium/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (PKC) is activated within 15 seconds of ionizing radiation exposure and is extinguished by 90 seconds in human leukemia HL-60 cells (Hallahan- et al., 1991b).
Phospholipase A2 inhibitors used in clinical radiotherapy to ameliorate acute and subacute sequelae include glucocorticoids and pentoxifylline,(Bianco et al., 1991, Phillips et al., 1975). Glucocorticoids are used to treat radiation induced proctitis, pneumonitis, conjunctivitis, external otitis, CNS syndromes and occasionally mucositis. Pentoxifylline is effective in preventing pneumonitis and mucositis following total body irradiation prior to bone marrow transplantation (Bianco et al., 1991). Taken together, these findings implicate phospholipase A2 in radiation induced TNF induction and the acute sequelae of radiotherapy.
Since phospholipase A2 hydrolyses phosphatidylcholine to arachidonic acid, the effects of the phospholipase A2 inhibitors mepacrine (Rao et al., 1993), and bromphenylbromide (BPB) (Peppelenbosch et al., 1993) were investigated. In addition, the effects of dexamethasone and pentoxifylline on radiation-induced fatty acid hydrolysis were studied, as these agents have been shown to inhibit phospholipase A2, reduce the production of cellular mediators of inflammation and tissue injury, and inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF production in monocytes (Strieter et al., 1988, Han et al., 1990). Moreover, glucocorticoids and pentoxifylline are employed clinically to prevent some acute toxicities of radiotherapy (Bianco et al., 1991, Phillips et al., 1975). The inventors determined that each agent attenuated arachidonic acid release into the medium of cells treated with X-rays or H2O2. Thus, extranuclear second messengers are in part responsible for radiation-mediated signal transduction and inhibition of this pathway may provide a means of attenuating the inflammatory-like response observed in irradiated tissues through the inhibition of TNF gene induction.
The present invention, in a general and overall sense, concerns methods of inhibiting the production of cytokines, for example tumor necrosis factor (TNF), following exposure of cells to ionizing radiation. In accordance with these methods, cells or tissues are contacted with phospholipase A2 inhibitors prior to exposure to ionizing radiation, reducing the production of cellular mediators of inflammation and tissue injury, and inhibiting the radiation-induced TNF production.
As used herein, xe2x80x9ccytokinexe2x80x9drefers to a class of molecules that are secreted by cells that affect the functions of other cells. More specifically, the cytokines of the present invention are secreted in response to ionizing radiation, and are produced as a result of or are otherwise involved in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway.
Preferred inhibitors of phospholipase A2 include, but are not limited to mepacrine, bromphenylbromide (BPB), dexamethasone, or pentoxifylline. It will be recognized by-those skilled in the art that compounds with similar activity or derivatives of these inhibitors does not depart from the scope or spirit of the invention.
The present invention thus encompasses the use of any phospholipase inhibitor derivative that has a significant (i.e., consistently above background) inhibitory effect on phospholipase activity.
In certain embodiments of the invention, methods are provided for the treatment of acute radiation sequelae that mimic local inflammatory reactions, such as pneumonitis, proctitis, mucositis, dermatitis, and esophagitis. These consequences of radiotherapy may be associated with cytokine production, such as tumor necrosis factor, or with arachidonic acid metabolites. The methods described herein are designed to ameliorate these acute side effects associated with radiation therapy.
On other embodiments, the methods of the present invention are useful in inhibiting cytokine production in vitro following ionizing radiation exposure. The methods allow the production of certain polypeptides operatively linked to radiation inducible promoters unaffected by phospholipase A2 inhibitors, while reducing the effect of cytokines and arachadonate metabolic products produced following radiation exposure.
In this aspect, the present invention contemplates a pharmaceutical composition comprising an inhibitor of phospholipase A2 in a therapeutically effective amount and a physiologically acceptable carrier. The terms xe2x80x9ccontactedxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cexposed,xe2x80x9d when applied to a cell, are used herein to describe the process by which a phospholipase inhibitor is delivered to a target cell. Any method may be used to contact a cell with a phospholipase inhibitor, as long as the method results in decreased phospholipase A2 activity within the cell
The phrases xe2x80x9cpharmaceutically or pharmacologically acceptablexe2x80x9d refer to molecular entities and compositions that do not produce an adverse, allergic or other untoward reaction when administered to a human. The appropriate doses for treating persons with radiation induced sequelae may be determined from a consideration of the condition to be treated and the properties of the composition being administered. This will be readily understood by those of skill in the art when in possession of the present disclosure.
A therapeutically effective amount of an inhibitor of phospholipase A2 that is combined with a carrier to produce a single dosage form varies depending upon the host treated and the particular mode of administration. A xe2x80x9ctherapeutically effective amountxe2x80x9d is an amount of a phospholipase inhibitor or similar agent that, when administered to an animal, is effective to reduce or eliminate phospholipase A2 activity within the animal.
As is well known in the art, a specific dose level for any particular patient depends upon a variety of factors including the activity of the specific compound employed, the age, body weight, general health, sex, diet, time of administration, route of administration, rate of excretion, drug combination, and the severity of the particular disease undergoing therapy.
A composition of the present invention is typically administered orally or parenterally in dosage unit formulations containing standard, well known nontoxic physiologically acceptable carriers, adjuvants, and vehicles as desired. The term parenteral as used herein includes subcutaneous injections, intravenous, intramuscular, intraarterial injection, or infusion techniques.
Injectable preparations, for example, sterile injectable aqueous or oleaginous suspensions are formulated according to the known art using suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents. The sterile injectable preparation can also be a sterile injectable solution or suspension in a nontoxic parenterally acceptable diluent or solvent, for example, as a solution in 1,3-butanediol.
Among the acceptable vehicles and solvents that may be employed are water, Ringer""s solution, and isotonic sodium chloride solution. In addition, sterile, fixed oils are conventionally employed as a solvent or suspending medium. For this purpose any bland fixed oil can be employed including synthetic mono- or di-glycerides. In addition, fatty acids such as oleic acid find use in the preparation of injectables.
Suitable doses for phospholipase A2 inhibitors would be for mepacrine (or quinacrine), 25 up to 200 mg every six hours for 5 doses prior to radiotherapy, and 200 mg once a day thereafter. As a further example, dosages of pentoxifylline range from 50 to 400 mg, given 3 times a day prior to and following radiotherapy. The skilled artisan is directed to xe2x80x9cRemington""s Pharmaceutical Sciencesxe2x80x9d 15th Edition for dosages of various inhibitors. Some variation in dosage will necessarily-occur depending on the condition of the subject being treated. The person responsible for administration will, in any event, determine the appropriate dose for the individual subject. Moreover, preparations for human administration should meet sterility, pyrogenicity, general safety and purity standards as required by the FDA Office of Biologics standards.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cirradiated cellxe2x80x9d means a cell or tissue that has been exposed to an effective expression-inducing dose of ionizing radiation that stimulates or turns on a radiation responsive enhancer-promoter or causes a physiological response in the cell, and depends on the given cell type.
As used herein, the phrase xe2x80x9cenhancer-promoterxe2x80x9d means a composite unit that contains both enhancer and promoter elements. As used herein, a xe2x80x9cradiation responsive enhancer-promoterxe2x80x9d indicates an enhancer-promoter whose transcription controlling function is affected by ionizing radiation. Typically, upon exposure to an effective dose of ionizing radiation, a radiation responsive enhancer-promoter of the present invention stimulates or increases the rate of transcription of an encoding region controlled by that enhancer-promoter. An exemplary and preferred enhancer-promoter for use in a DNA molecule of the present invention is a CArG domain of an Egr-1 promoter, a promoter for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-xcex1) gene or a c-Jun promoter.
A radiation responsive enhancer-promoter is operatively linked to an encoding region that encodes at least one polypeptide. As used herein, the phrase xe2x80x9coperatively linkedxe2x80x9d means that an enhancer-promoter is connected to an encoding region in such a way that the transcription of that encoding region is controlled and regulated by that enhancer-promoter. Means for operatively linking an enhancer-promoter to an encoding region are well known in the art. As is also well known in the art, the precise orientation and location relative to an encoding region whose transcription is controlled, is dependent inter alia upon the specific nature of the enhancer-promoter. Thus, a TATA box minimal promoter is typically located from about 25 to about 30 base pairs upstream of a transcription initiation site and an upstream promoter element is typically located from about 100 to about 200 base pairs upstream of a transcription initiation site. In contrast, an enhancer can be located downstream from the initiation site and can be at a considerable distance from that site.
In one embodiment, an encoding region of a DNA molecule of the present invention encodes a single polypeptide. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cpolypeptidexe2x80x9d means a polymer of amino acids connected by amide linkages, wherein the number of amino acid residues can range from about 5 to about one million. Preferably, a polypeptide has from about 10 to about 1000 amino acid residues and, even more preferably from about 20 to about 500 amino residues. Thus, as used herein, a polypeptide includes what is often referred to in the art as an oligopeptide (5-10 amino acid residues), a polypeptide (11-100 amino acid residues) and a protein ( greater than 100 amino acid residues). A polypeptide encoded by an encoding region can undergo post-translational modification to form conjugates with carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and the like to form glycopolypeptides (e.g., glycoproteins), lipopolypeptides (e.g. lipoproteins) and other like conjugates.
Any polypeptide can be encoded by an encoding region of a DNA molecule of the present invention. An encoding region can comprise introns and exons so long as the encoding region comprises at least one open reading frame for transcription, translation and expression of that polypeptide. Thus, an encoding region can comprise a gene, a split gene or a cDNA molecule. In the event that the encoding region comprises a split gene (contains one or more introns), a cell transformed or transfected with a DNA molecule containing that split gene must have means for removing those introns and splicing together the exons in the RNA transcript from that DNA molecule if expression of that gene product is desired.
In a preferred embodiment an effective expression inducing amount is from about 2 to about 20 Gray (Gy) administered at a rate of from about 0.5 to about 2 Gy/minute. Even more preferably, an effective expression inducing amount of ionizing radiation is from about 5 to about 15 Gy.
As used herein, xe2x80x9cionizing radiationxe2x80x9d means radiation comprising particles or photons that have sufficient energy or can produce sufficient energy via nuclear interactions to produce ionization (gain or loss of electrons). An exemplary and preferred ionizing radiation is an x-radiation. Means for delivering x-radiation to a target tissue or cell are well known in the art.
Cells containing a DNA molecule of the present invention encoding a particular polypeptide express that polypeptide when exposed to ionizing radiation.

Phospholipase A2 inhibitors as mediators of gene expression


A carton that can be opened and incrementally reduced in size and reclosed is provided. A horizontal tear line is provided in a main panel of the carton and is connected to a tear line in each side panel that extends across to the other main panel. When these tear lines are torn, the carton is reduced in size by that increment. A reclosable top is formed in a main panel by two fold lines that extend across that panel. This carton may have several sections that can be incrementally reduced in size and reclosed as items are removed from the carton.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a carton for carrying a number of articles or containers which can be opened and some of the articles or containers removed and the carton reduced in size and reclosed. This process of removing articles or containers and reducing the carton in size and reclosing can be done two or three times or more if desired. The reduction in size is accomplished by providing a set of tear and fold lines for each reduction in size to allow part of the carton to be removed and discarded and to form a new reclosable top for the carton for the reduced size.
2. Background of the Invention
Cartons that carry a number of articles or containers are frequently opened one or more times and one or more articles or containers removed and the carton reclosed. This results in the carton having empty space on the inside which may present a problem if storage space is limited. This is particularly true of products like toasted pastries, spring rolls, and meat pies which are typically removed one or two at a time from a carton which is then reclosed and stored. A carton for carrying toasted pastries may be restored in a pantry, while a carton with meat pies may need to be restored in the refrigerator. It would be desirable to have a carton that could be reduced in size and reclosed after it has been opened and one or more articles or containers have been removed from the carton. It would be desirable to be able to reduce the carton in size incrementally two or three times and reclose the carton into a neat package similar to the package in which the product was initially purchased to eliminate the storage space the empty portion of the carton would occupy.
In our above referred to prior application Ser. No. 10/841,927, we describe a carton which can be incrementally reduced in size and reclosed. In the carton disclosed in that application, the tear lines in the side panels extend diagonally and gusset fold lines are provided in the side walls to facilitate reclosing of the top. While that carton works well for its intended purpose, the carton disclosed in the present application is of somewhat simpler construction and may be easier for the consumer to use.


A semiconductor integrated circuit device has an oscillation circuit using either an oscillator or an oscillation module, as an external part of a reference oscillation circuit. Two external terminals are provided in correspondence with the oscillation circuit. A control terminal (base terminal) of a transistor of the oscillation circuit is connected to one external terminal, and part of an output of the transistor is fed back to the control terminal. The other external terminal is connected to a power source voltage terminal via a resistive element of a high resistance value. Capacitor elements are connected between the two external terminals. When an oscillator is connected to the one of the external terminals, the other external terminal is fixed to a constant potential. When an electronic part for oscillation (oscillation module) is connected, the other external terminal is set into an open state.

The present invention relates to a technique effectively applied to an oscillation circuit using an external part such as an oscillator like a quartz oscillator or an electronic part for oscillation like an oscillation module. More specifically, the invention relates to a technique effectively applied to an oscillation circuit for generating a reference frequency signal of a semiconductor integrated circuit device for high frequency which demodulates a reception signal and modulates a transmission signal in a wireless communication system such as a portable telephone.
In a semiconductor integrated circuit for high frequency (hereinbelow, called an RF IC) for modulating a transmission signal and demodulating a reception signal, a PLL (Phase Locked Loop) circuit having a VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) for generating an oscillation signal of a predetermined frequency to be synthesized with a reception signal or a transmission signal is used. As it is known, the PLL circuit is a circuit for comparing an oscillation output of the VCO with a signal of a predetermined frequency as a reference by a frequency comparator (also called a phase comparator) and feedback controlling the VCO so that the phase frequencies of the two signals coincide with each other.
Since relatively high precision is required for the oscillation frequency of the VCO used for a portable telephone, it is difficult to use, as a reference oscillation circuit, a circuit which can be provided on a chip, such as an LC oscillator or a ring oscillator. Generally, an oscillation circuit using an external part such as an oscillator like a quartz oscillator or an electronic part for oscillation like an oscillation module is employed.

Semiconductor integrated circuit device and wireless communication system


A reading apparatus for a handicapped person includes a reader for optically reading character information from a recording medium and photoelectrically converting the character information so that it is displayed by a pin pattern on a display. When the operator detects a character area from the display result, an area of an object for character recognition is designated by an input unit and the execution of the character recognition is instructed. A processor recognizes the character read by the reader and displays the character so that it can be perceived in a tactile manner. Whether the result of the reading of the character is correct or not can be checked by tactile perception. The recognition result of the character recognized can also be converted into an audio output by an audio output unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a reading apparatus for photoelectrically reading character information such as a document or the like and for providing its output to an eyesight handicapped person who confirms the output by tactile perception and, more particularly, to a reading apparatus for an eyesight handicapped apparatus for photoelectrically reading such character information and for converting its output into a vocal output:
2. Related Background Art
According to the research on actual conditions of February, 1987, by the Ministry of Public Welfare in Japan, the number of physically handicapped persons (ages: 18 years and higher) in Japan is equal to 2.40 million. Among them, the number of eyesight handicapped persons is equal to 0.37 million and occupies 12.7%. The number of eyesight handicapped persons who are employed as regular employees is equal to 17,000 in all of Japan and constituted only 5.5% of the entire number of eyesight handicapped persons.
One of the greatest handicaps suffered by the eyesight handicapped the inability to read printed or written characters, namely, what are called ink characters. Communication by characters is an indispensable element of social ink lief.
(1) The first example (OPTACON) of the reading apparatus
This reading apparatus has been realized by Dr. John G. Linvill of Stanford University of U.S.A., and has been commercially available from TSI Co., Ltd. by the name of "OPTACON" since 1971. "Optacon" stands for "OPtical to TActile CONverter (converting apparatus from the optical perception to the tactile perception)". The dimensions of the apparatus are set to a lateral width of 16 cm, a depth of 16 cm, and a height of 4.8 cm, and its weight is 840 grams. The apparatus is portable.
FIG. 8 shows a circuit block diagram of the above reading apparatus. The operation will now be described in accordance with FIG. 8.
A source 11 is constructed by a small electric bulb and a reflecting mirror (not shown). A document 5 is illuminated by an illumination light 101 from the light source 11. A camera unit 12 forms a document image which has been transmitted through a zoom lens (not shown) onto a small silicon photodiode called a silicon retina which functions as a retina of the eye and converts into an electrical signal. An optical magnification can be changed to a value of up to 2.5 times by changing the magnification of the zoom lens.
A processor 20 extracts only the signal representing characters or symbols from the electrical signal and sends it to a display 16. The display is also called a tactile board and has a total of 100 small holes comprising five columns and twenty rows. One pin is enclosed in each hole. When the electrical signal is sent from the processor 20 to the display (tactile board) 16, the head portions of some of the pins are ejected out of the holes and are vertically finely vibrated.
FIG. 9 is a diagram of the display (tactile board) of five columns and seven rows. In the diagram, a black dot ( ) indicates a state in which the head portion of the pin is ejected out from the hole to this side. A white dot (.smallcircle.) denotes that the pin is located at the inherent position.
By perceiving the pin pattern (pattern information formed with the pins) by the finger, a character " " can be recognized.
The black dot ( ) locating at a position of 5 the fifth row and the first column indicates noise which occurs due to the fouling of the paper surface, the deposition of the ink, or the like. An increase noises makes tactile perception difficult.
In case of a black character written on white paper, the head portions of only the pins corresponding to the black portion are ejected out and are vibrated, thereby propagating substantially the same pattern as that seen by the eyes to the finger. In this manner, the OPTACON can read not only the printed characters but also hand-written characters, a figure, a musical score, or the like, and can also examine a pattern of a cloth material or the like. The characters on the display can be also displayed on the tactile board by accessing a computer.
(2) The second example (OCR) of the reading apparatus
FIG. 10 shows a circuit block diagram of a second example. Its operation will now be described in accordance with FIG. 10.
The light source 11 is constructed by a fluorescent lamp and a reflecting mirror (not shown). The illumination light source 101 from the light 11 illuminates the document 5. The camera unit 12 forms a document image onto a small silicon photodiode array such as a CCD which functions as a retina of the eye and converts into an electrical signal. A processor 21 relates to a portion thereof to convert the electrical signal into a character code. A method of examining a correlation of features of a character or a pattern matching method is used as a converting method. The character code (electrical signal) is extracted and sent to an output unit 14. The output unit 14 generates the character code as electronic information outputted to the outside, thereby converting it into voice signal or braille points. As a reading apparatus of such a type, there is an apparatus only for use in English or an apparatus which can read Kanji (Chinese characters)/ Katakana mixed sentences of Japanese.
The reading apparatus for directly converting a character pattern into a pin pattern as shown in the first example first has the following disadvantages.
1) Since the apparatus depends on tactile perception, the difference between the capabilities of individuals is large.
2) The capability deteriorates due to fatigue.
3) The character pattern is not converted into the character code. Therefore, although patterns other than characters can be read, the ability to connect the apparatus to other information apparatus is poor.
The reading apparatus (OCR type) of the second example has the following disadvantages.
1) In case of a document in which characters and images exist, the recognition ratio is low and it is necessary to extract a character area therefrom. Since the character area is ordinarily extracted by the naked eye, it is necessary to collate it with an original sentence.
2) The collation with the original sentence (confirmation of the character area) cannot be performed by an eyesight handicapped person. Therefore, the help by a normal eyesight person is necessary, thereby causing the self-reliance of the handicapped person to be limited.

Reading apparatus for eyesight handicapped person


An embodiment of the present invention is a charge trajectory calculating method which calculates, by simulation, trajectories of charges scattered by irradiating a target object with a charged beam. The method includes: setting a simulation region, which corresponds to the existence region of the target object; dividing the simulation region into a plurality of segment regions; calculating, by a Monte Carlo calculation, the trajectories of charges scattered by irradiating the inside of a predetermined segment region with the charged beam; calculating, based on function values of an approximate function, the potential distribution which occurs in the simulation region by irradiating the outside of the predetermined segment region with the charged beam; and calculating, by a Monte Carlo calculation, and based on the potential distribution calculated based on the function values of the approximate function, the trajectories of charges scattered by irradiating the outside of the predetermined segment region with the charged beam.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charge trajectory calculating method, system, and program.
2. Background Art
Scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) enable observation of extremely small objects. The importance of the SEM technology is growing with the development of the nanotechnology. In the semiconductor industry, the SEM technology has been used for inspection and length measurement.
Recently, in the semiconductor industry, requirements on the inspection and length measurement have become stricter as semiconductor design rules become finer. According to the strictest specification, precision in the inspection and length measurement has to be on the order of sub-nanometer. Further, in addition to high precision in the inspection and length measurement, high stability in the inspection and length measurement is also required. In order to meet the requirements, it is attempted to raise resolution and stability of an SEM apparatus to improve the hardware of an SEM, and attempted to develop such an inspection method and length measurement method as improving reproducibility to improve the software of an SEM.
When using an SEM, SEM conditions such as accelerating voltage, sample current, and bias voltage have to be optimized. Whether the SEM conditions can be appropriately optimized or not is largely dependent on the skill of an operator. When using the SEM, the operator places a measuring sample in the SEM, and optimizes the SEM conditions by varying the SEM conditions by trial and error. Optimization of the SEM conditions often takes a long time and may take several days in some cases. This has a significant effect on the turn around time (TAT) of a semiconductor manufacturing process. In the semiconductor manufacturing process, reduction of the TAT is imperative because the TAT has a significant effect on the cost. It is undesirable for the semiconductor manufacturing process to take a long time to optimize the SEM conditions.
In recent years, SEM simulations using the Monte Carlo method have become popular. In the past, a Monte Carlo calculation required an enormously long calculation time. However, the development of the information processing technology in recent years has enabled the Monte Carlo calculation to be performed in a relatively short time. According to an SEM simulation, the SEM conditions can be optimized without an actual measuring sample before the inspection or length measurement (see JP-A 2002-75818 (KOKAI)).
A typical flow of the SEM simulation will be described hereinafter.
First, a simulation region which corresponds to the existence region of a measuring object, is provided. In this step, the number of calculation meshes in the simulation region is determined, and the calculation meshes are provided in the simulation region. In this example, the number of calculation meshes in the simulation region is 9×9, i.e., 81.
Next, it is assumed that one of the meshes is irradiated with an electron beam. Then, trajectories of scattered charges, the charge distribution, and the potential distribution in the simulation region are calculated. Such a calculation is repeated 81 times on the assumption that the 81 meshes are scanned (i.e., successively irradiated) with the electron beam. The calculation may be performed by the two or more meshes. For example, if the calculation is performed by the three meshes, the calculation is repeated 27 times.
The calculation of the potential distribution from the charge distribution is performed using the Poisson equation. For the calculation, the finite element method is often used. When calculating the potential distribution, charge movement has to be appropriately taken into account. Further, to raise precision of the calculation of the potential distribution, fine meshes have to be provided. However, it is difficult to meet these requirements without increasing load on a computer and elongating time for calculating the potential distribution.
For this reason, it is attempted to perform an SEM simulation using a cluster PC, which includes a plurality of PCs. The cluster PC includes, for example, a master node and a plurality of cluster nodes. The master node generates a random number, distributes charge scattering calculations and charge distribution calculations among the cluster nodes, collects charge information from the cluster nodes, and performs potential distribution calculations. The computational capability of the cluster PC increases as the number of the cluster nodes increases.
Exchanges of data between the master node and the cluster nodes are performed via a network, such as a LAN. The time required for the data communication increases in proportion to the number of the cluster nodes. As the number of the cluster nodes increases, the proportion of the data communication time in the entire calculation time becomes considerable.
As described above, the SEM simulation has a large technical problem regarding how to reduce the calculation time.

Charge trajectory calculating method, system, and program


A measurement device which includes a band of flexible material having measurement indicia and a zero reference marked thereon. The band is fixedly positioned on a surface on which the measurement is to be made so that at least a portion of the band and the zero reference are exposed. The band is arranged so that it can be moved so that the zero reference corresponds to a measurement reference point on the surface from which a measurement is to be made.

Measurement devices, such as parallel rulers, T-squares, tape measures, and similar devices having measurement niduses printed thereon, utilize a fixed zero reference point, or line, so that when measurements from different reference positions along a linear distance are to be made, the entire measurement device must be moved so that its fixed zero reference point can be placed at each different reference position. Since the entire device must be moved each time, such operation often makes the use of the device extremely awkward or inconvenient. It is desirable to provide a device which does not have such a disadvantage.


An ink cartridge includes a case, an ink supply portion positioned at a front face of the case, a movable member configured to move relative to the case, and at least one resilient member coupled to a rear face of the case and the movable member. The at least one resilient member is configured to expand in an expansion direction and to contract in a contraction direction to move the movable member relative to the case, and a shape of the case in the expansion and contraction directions is unaltered. The entire moveable member is configured to substantially simultaneously move relative to the case when the at least one resilient member expands and contracts.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ink cartridges. In particular, the present invention is related to ink cartridges which are configured to dispense ink when mounted in a printer.
2. Description of Related Art
A known ink cartridge is configured to be mounted to a mounting portion of a known recording apparatus, such as an ink-jet recording apparatus. The known ink cartridge has an ink chamber configured to store ink therein, a wall defining at least a portion of the ink chamber, and an ink supply portion positioned at the wall, which is configured to supply ink from the interior of the ink chamber to the exterior of the ink chamber. The ink supply portion extends outwardly from the wall. A resilient member is disposed within the ink supply portion. When the known ink cartridge contacts a surface, such as a floor, a portion of the impact of the ink cartridge contacting the surface may be absorbed by the resilient member.
Nevertheless, because the resilient member is disposed within the ink supply portion, an outer portion of the ink supply portion may be damaged when the ink supply portion contacts the surface, which may cause ink to leak from the ink supply portion. Moreover, if the ink cartridge contacts the surface at a position other than the ink supply portion, the ink cartridge may be damaged, and ink may leak from the ink cartridge.
Another known ink cartridge is configured to be mounted to an accommodating chamber of the known recording apparatus, and the accommodating chamber includes a door which is configured to be opened and closed. After the known ink cartridge is mounted to the accommodating chamber and the door is closed, the door may latch on to the ink cartridge to remove the ink cartridge from the accommodating chamber when the door is opened by a user, which increases the ease with which the ink cartridge may be removed from the accommodating chamber. Nevertheless, the user relies on the recording apparatus to remove the ink cartridge from the recording apparatus.


The subject invention pertains to B.t. toxins and isolates active against pests.

The soil microbe Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium characterized by parasporal crystalline protein inclusions. These inclusions often appear microscopically as distinctively shaped crystals. The proteins can be highly toxic to pests and specific in their toxic activity. Certain B.t. toxin genes have been isolated and sequenced, and recombinant DNA-based B.t. products have been produced and approved for use. In addition, with the use of genetic engineering techniques, new approaches for delivering these B.t. endotoxins to agricultural environments are under development, including the use of plants genetically engineered with endotoxin genes for insect resistance and the use of stabilized intact microbial cells as B.t. endotoxin delivery vehicles (Gaertner, F. H., L. Kim [1988] TIBTECH6:S4-S7). Thus, isolated B.t. endotoxin genes are becoming commercially valuable.
Until the last fifteen years, commercial use of B.t. pesticides has been largely restricted to a narrow range of lepidopteran (caterpillar) pests. Preparations of the spores and crystals of B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki have been used for many years as commercial insecticides for lepidopteran pests. For example, B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki HD-1 produces a crystalline .delta.-endotoxin which is toxic to the larvae of a number of lepidopteran insects.
In recent years, however, investigators have discovered B.t. pesticides with specificities for a much broader range of pests. For example, other species of B.t., namely israelensis and morrisoni (a.k.a. tenebrionis, a.k.a. B.t. M-7, a.k.a. B.t. san diego), have been used commercially to control insects of the orders Diptera and Coleoptera, respectively (Gaertner, F. H. [1989] "Cellular Delivery Systems for Insecticidal Proteins: Living and Non-Living Microorganisms," in Controlled Delivery of Crop Protection Agents, R. M. Wilkins, ed., Taylor and Francis, New York and London, 1990, pp. 245-255.). See also Couch, T. L. (1980) "Mosquito Pathogenicity of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis," Developments in Industrial Microbiology 22:61-76; and Beegle, C. C. (1978) "Use of Entomogenous Bacteria in Agroecosystems," Developments in Industrial Microbiology 20:97-104. Krieg, A., A. M. Huger, G. A. Langenbruch, W. Schnetter (1983) Z. ang. Ent. 96:500-508 describe Bacillus thuringiensis var. tenebrionis, which is reportedly active against two beetles in the order Coleoptera. These are the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, and Agelastica alni.
More recently, new subspecies of B.t. have been identified, and genes responsible for active .delta.-endotoxin proteins have been isolated (Hofte, H., H. R. Whiteley [1989] Microbiological Reviews 52(2):242-255). Hofte and Whiteley classified B.t. crystal protein genes into four major classes. The classes were CryI (Lepidoptera-specific), CryII (Lepidoptera- and Diptera-specific), CryIII (Coleoptera-specific), and CryIV (Diptera-specific). The discovery of strains specifically toxic to other pests has been reported (Feitelson, J. S., J. Payne, L. Kim [1992] Bio/Technology 10:271-275). CryV has been proposed to designate a class of toxin genes that are nematode-specific. Lambert et al. (Lambert, B., L. Buysse, C. Decock, S. Jansens, C. Piens, B. Saey, J. Seurinck, K. van Audenhove, J. Van Rie, A. Van Vliet, M. Peferoen [1996] Appl. Environ. Microbiol 62(1):80-86) describe the characterization of a Cry9 toxin active against lepidopterans. Published PCT applications WO 94/05771 and WO 94/24264 also describe B.t. isolates active against lepidopteran pests. Gleave et al. ([1991] JGM 138:55-62), Shevelev et al. ([1993] FEBS Lett. 336:79-82; and Smulevitch et al. ([1991] FEBS Lett. 293:25-26) also describe B.t. toxins. Many other classes of B.t. genes have now been identified.
The cloning and expression of a B.t. crystal protein gene in Escherichia coli has been described in the published literature (Schnepf, H. E., H. R. Whiteley [1981] Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 78:2893-2897.). U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,885 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,036 both disclose the expression of B.t. crystal protein in E. coli. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,990,332; 5,039,523; 5,126,133; 5,164,180; and 5,169,629 are among those which disclose B.t. toxins having activity against lepidopterans. PCT application WO96/05314 discloses PS86W1, PS86V1, and other B.t. isolates active against lepidopteran pests. The PCT patent applications published as WO94/24264 and WO94/05771 describe B.t. isolates and toxins active against lepidopteran pests. B.t. proteins with activity against members of the family Noctuidae are described by Lambert et al., supra. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,797,276 and 4,853,331 disclose B. thuringiensis strain tenebrionis which can be used to control coleopteran pests in various environments. U.S. Pat. No.4,918,006 discloses B.t. toxins having activity against dipterans. U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,363 and U.S. Pat. No.4,948,734 disclose certain isolates of B.t. which have activity against nematodes. Other U.S. patents which disclose activity against nematodes include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,093,120; 5,236,843; 5,262,399; 5,270,448; 5,281,530; 5,322,932; 5,350,577; 5,426,049; and 5,439,881. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,262,159 and 5,468,636 disclose B.t. isolates PS157C1, PS86A1, and PS75J1 as having activity against aphids.
As a result of extensive research and investment of resources, other patents have issued for new B.t. isolates and new uses of B.t. isolates. See Feitelson et al., supra, for a review. However, the discovery of new B.t. isolates and new uses of known B.t. isolates remains an empirical, unpredictable art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,099 describes methods for identifying unknown B.t. isolates. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,237 describes specific and universal probes for the isolation of B.t. toxin genes.

Methods for controlling lepidopterans using Bacillus thuringiensis toxins obtainable from isolates PS17, PS86Q3, and HD511


An electronic appliance remote controller which includes a display screen (which may be part of the appliance, e.g. a TV screen) for displaying icons representing possible operations of the electronic appliance, and a motion detector circuit for detecting a motion within a field of view of the motion detector circuit. The motion detector circuit either detects an image of the user""s hand or a predetermined motion of a moving hand within the field of view as an indication that a remote control operation is to be started and, thereafter, tracks the movement of the hand. The motion detector circuit outputs a cursor control signal representative of the motion of the hand. A control circuit, connected to the display screen, the electronic appliance, and the motion detector circuit and supplied with the cursor control signal, controls the display screen to display a movable visual indicator, e.g. a cursor, whose own motion tracks the movement of the moving hand and the electronic appliance to perform operations corresponding to the icons selected by the user using the visual indicator. In one embodiment, two cameras allow three dimensional movements of the user""s hand to control the electronic appliance.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a remote control commander for an electronic appliance, such as a television set, and more particularly to an optical motion sensing remote control system for an electronic appliance.
2. Related Art
An IR (Ifra Red) remote commander is a common means to control a TV from a distance. However, existing remote commanders have some drawbacks. They are easy to lose. The user often mistakes a VCR commander for the TV commander. In fact, a lot of people have a great xe2x80x9cremote commander collectionxe2x80x9d. Also one has to learn which button is where on the commander. Remote commanders require batteries which have to be replaced periodically. If a TV could have a camera vision and read the user""s gestures, no remote commander would be necessary. However, it is not easy for a TV to distinguish gestures from other moves in its camera view. One would not want the channel to change each time the user got up to fetch a snack from the kitchen, for example.
The above and other problems of prior art electronic appliance remote controllers are overcome by an electronic appliance remote controller according to the present invention which includes a display screen (which may be part of the appliance, e.g. a TV screen) for displaying icons representing possible operations of the electronic appliance, and a motion detector circuit for detecting a motion within a field of view of the motion detector circuit. The motion detector circuit detects either the image of the user""s hand or a predetermined motion of the user""s moving hand within the field of view as an indication that a remote control operation is to be started and, thereafter, tracks the movement of the hand. The motion detector circuit outputs a cursor control signal representative of the motion of the hand. A control circuit, connected to the display screen, the electronic appliance, and the motion detector circuit and supplied with the cursor control signal, controls the display screen to display a movable visual indicator, e.g. a cursor, whose own motion tracks the movement of the moving hand. The control circuit also controls the electronic appliance to perform operations corresponding to the icons selected by the user using the visual indicator.
In a preferred embodiment, the motion detector circuit detects the selection of an icon by the user by detecting a predetermined motion pattern of the hand when the visual indicator is coincident on the display screen with a particular icon. For example, the motion detector circuit detects the selection of an icon by the user by detecting a cessation of movement of the hand for a predetermined period of time after the visual indicator is coincident on the display screen with a particular icon. Alternatively, the motion detector may detect a hand movement akin to pushing in the icon as one would push in a button.
In the preferred embodiment, the motion detector circuit includes at least one video camera, random access memory interface, a random access memory, and a CPU and detects motion by comparing corresponding pixel values in each macro block of two successive video frames output by the camera. If the absolute value of the differences for two corresponding macro blocks from the two successive frames exceeds a predetermined minimum value, it is judged that motion has taken place in that macro block and it is an active region.
In one embodiment, for each video frame, the motion detector circuit, in determining whether to track a hand, checks to determine if a detected active region satisfies the conditions (a) that the active region made one linear movement in a first direction and (b) the active region returned to the start position where it used to be. The motion detector locks onto that region if conditions (a) and (b) are both satisfied. Naturally, any sort of repetitive movement could be used to cue the motion detector to lock onto the hand motion.
In another embodiment, the motion detector compares a user selected portion of the video image output by the camera with a stored video image and determines that the user selected portion of the video image output by the camera is the user""s hand if there is a match with the stored video image. Various means are provided for allowing the user to select the portion of the video image as his or her hand.
In order that the same general length of hand movement will control the visual indicator to move a consistent corresponding length of movement, the control circuit includes an automatic cursor sensitivity adjustment feature which automatically scales the extremes of the movement of the visual indicator to the extremes of the predetermined hand motion so that, for example, the same diagonal motion of the user""s hand will cause the visual indicator to move just across the diagonal of the display screen regardless of whether the user is close to the motion detector circuit or far away.
A remote control method for an electronic appliance according to the invention begins with the step of detecting the user""s hand either by (a) recognizing a portion of an image in a video camera""s output as the user""s hand or (b) recognizing a first predetermined hand motion within a field of view. Recognition of the user""s hand is an indication that a remote control operation is to be started. The next step is visually displaying on a display screen, such as a TV screen, icons representing possible operations of the electronic appliance (e.g. a TV). Thereafter, remote control is carried out by tracking the movement of the hand and outputting a cursor control signal representative of the motion of the hand. Responsive to the control signal, the display screen is controlled to display a movable visual indicator, e.g. a cursor, whose movement tracks the movement of the moving hand. The electronic appliance is then controlled to perform operations corresponding to the icons selected by the user using the visual indicator. The first predetermined motion can be any hand movement, such as a back and forth hand movement, for example.
The step of detecting the selection of an icon by the user includes detecting a second predetermined motion pattern of the hand when the visual indicator is coincident on the display screen with a particular icon. For example, the predetermined motion pattern could be a cessation of movement of the hand for a predetermined period of time after the visual indicator is coincident on the display screen with the particular icon or, by the use of two orthogonally placed cameras, detecting movement of the user""s hand which emulates pushing in an icon as one would push in a button.
The motion detecting step uses at least one video camera in the preferred embodiment and includes comparing corresponding pixel values in each macro block of two successive frames. If the absolute value of the differences for two corresponding macro blocks from the two successive frames exceeds a predetermined minimum value, it is judged that motion has taken place in that macro block and it is an active region. For each frame, in determining whether to track a hand, a check is made to determine if a detected active region satisfies the conditions (a) that the active region made one linear movement in a first direction and (b) the active region returned to the start position where it used to be. That region is locked onto if conditions (a) and (b) are both satisfied. Naturally, any sort of repetitive movement could be used to cue the motion detector to lock onto the hand motion. If two video cameras are used, this process is run in parallel for the outputs of both cameras.
In order that the same general length of hand movement will control the visual indicator to move a consistent corresponding length of movement, the remote controlling method according to the invention further includes a step of automatically adjusting the sensitivity of the visual indicator by the steps of automatically scaling the extremes of the movement of the visual indicator to the extremes of the predetermined hand motion so that, for example, the same diagonal motion of the user""s hand will cause the visual indicator to move just across the diagonal of the display screen regardless of whether the user is close to the motion detector circuit or far away.
The foregoing and other objectives, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


A steam cooking system includes a first steam cooking cavity, a second steam cooking cavity and a steam generator. The steam generator includes a steam outlet for selectively feeding steam to one or both of the first steam cooking cavity and the second steam cooking cavity, the outlet selectively connectable to feed steam to the first steam cooking cavity and/or the second steam cooking cavity via a valved fluid path. The valved fluid path includes a main supply valve, a first valve and a second valve configured and controllable to assure that the steam generator outlet is always connect to atmosphere by one or more paths.

In the typical commercial countertop "atmospheric" steamer having a single cooking cavity the bottom of cooking cavity itself includes a water volume from which steam is produced (i.e., steam is produced directly within the cooking cavity). The cooking cavity has an outlet opening such that excess steam can exit the cavity, where it is delivered up a vent stack.
A typical atmospheric steamer having two cooking cavities utilizes a separate steam generator and steam feed lines, each with a respective steam valve, run from the steam generator to the two steam cavities. In some locals, pressurized vessel regulations may apply because the steam generator is not continuously vented to atmosphere.
It would be desirable to provide a steam cooking system with dual cavities that provides suitable venting of the steam generator to atmosphere.


A digitally controlled grounded capacitor multiplier includes: a single capacitor directly connected at one end to an input voltage and at another end to a negative input of an operational amplifier; the operational amplifier including a negative feedback loop; and a digitally controlled current amplifier (DCCA) connected to an output of the operational amplifier. The DCCA digitally controls the digitally controlled grounded capacitor multiplier. The digitally controlled grounded capacitor multiplier comprises only two active devices consisting of the operational amplifier and the DCCA.

Usually, integrated circuits (ICs) area constraints limit practical capacitors to a relatively low capacitance level. However, electronic circuits often require capacitors having a relatively higher capacitance level. A capacitance multiplier is an electronics circuit that increases the value of a reference capacitor by a certain multiplication factor, thus, achieving a higher equivalent capacitance level in an IC form. Capacitor multipliers are of particular importance for making integrated circuits possible that otherwise would be impractical with actual capacitors.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the present disclosure is provided.

Digitally controlled ground capacitor multiplier

KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM & MINERALS


A rolling hinge device comprises two substantially parallel winding cylinders, longitudinal link element-forming winding means, the winding means being able to maintain a predetermined distance between the winding cylinders and being wound around winding cylinders, and at least two flexible tracks, a flexible track being fixed to each winding cylinder, the flexible tracks being arranged facing one another and having a point of contact, a prestressing force being applied at said point of contact of the flexible tracks under the effect of the winding means. At least one flexible track comprises at least one slot produced over at least a part of its length, the slot delimiting a plurality of flexible beam sections of determined profiles.

In the abovementioned motorization systems, elements, for example fittings, are typically set in motion relative to one another around hinges. These systems thus comprise lines of hinges that generally use motorization components of the torsion spring, spiral spring or Carpentier joint type, making it possible to counter the resisting torques and to guarantee the necessary margins in terms of torques generated in order to ensure the complete deployment of the appendages.
In this context, the known motorization components exhibit a changing or variable motorization torque involving an over-motorization which brings about shocks at the end of deployment.
These shocks can be significant and can generate damage to the space appendages at the end of deployment, as well as stray torques damaging to the piloting of the spacecraft. To mitigate this problem, the deployable structures can be dimensioned and reinforced so as to be able to withstand the end-of-travel shocks generated in deployment, but this solution is unsatisfactory and notably results in an increased weight for the complete structure.
Some lines of development have led to the devising of deployment mechanisms with almost zero resistive torque. Such mechanisms, such as the line of hinges described in the patent application FR 2635077, offer the advantage of requiring only little motorization power and generate minimized end-of-travel shocks. Other mechanisms are borne out of enhancements made to the above mechanism, notably in terms of weight and volume. Such a deployment mechanism is disclosed in the patent application FR 0605653.
The known mechanisms, such as those described in the abovementioned patent applications FR 2635077 and FR 0605653, have an angular deployment capability that is limited to 180°. Moreover, their overall kinematics, because of their structure, generate very irregular motorization torques. Finally, the speed of deployment of the known deployment mechanisms, as already stated, results in a restoration of energy at the end of travel, therefore a shock, because said speed of deployment is not regulated.
To correct these drawbacks, a motorization device has been proposed with control torque, described in the patent application published under the reference FR 2968234. Such a device makes it possible to have an almost zero resisting torque, and is based on the use of rolling flexible tracks that already exist in the system to produce the motorization. A specific form is given to the flexible tracks so as to allow for an offsetting of the point of contact between the flexible tracks relative to the crossover point of winding means such as wound flexible blades or even cables, forming a link element between two substantially parallel winding cylinders forming fittings with the flexible tracks, to which different components of the system are linked. In this way, a torque dependent on the distance between the abovementioned point of contact and crossover point provokes the mutual rotation of the flexible tracks, and thus the mutual rotation of the fittings. The "crossover point" between the link element-forming winding means should be understood in the wider sense to be the axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes or axes of revolution of the fittings, passing at the same time through the two winding means.
In the abovementioned device, a problem may arise when foreign bodies come to be housed between the rolling flexible tracks, possibly resulting in a total jamming of the hinge. The foreign bodies may originate from the space surrounding the device, or else from the device itself, the foreign bodies then possibly being parts of the system that have accidentally become isolated or even residues of matter originating from part erosion phenomena, for example.

Motorization system for a hinge with crossed winding means with reliability-enhanced rolling


A communication helmet having an enhanced noise reduction effect. The communication helmet incorporates a microphone disposed in the vicinity of the mouth of the speaker wearing the helmet. The microphone is an optical microphone comprising a diaphragm (31) vibrating with sound pressure, a case (40) containing the diaphragm (31) and having a first opening (38) and a second opening (39) open in symmetric positions and facing the diaphragm (31), a light source (32) for projecting a light beam to the diaphragm (31), and a photodetector (35) receiving part of the reflected light of the light beam projected to the diaphragm (31) and outputting a signal corresponding to the vibration of the diaphragm (31). The optical microphone is fixed to a fixing base (250) at a predetermined angle so that the incoming sound wave may uniformly enter the first opening (38) and the second opening (39). The fixing base (250) is attached to the helmet with a space so that the external sound wave may uniformly enter the first opening (38) and the second opening (39).

1. Technical Field
This invention relates in a helmet for communication, and it is related to the helmet for communication in which an optical microphone is built.
2. Description of the Related Art
To perform a communication in the situation that a helmet is worn, a microphone for the communication mounted inside the helmet may be used. As this type of microphone for communication, a close-speak type microphone and bone conduction type microphone, and so on are known. At any rate, a microphone that may decrease an outside noise is required.
FIG. 9 shows the section structure of the helmet to explain the wearing state of the conventional microphone for communication. Inside structure of the helmet 60 is formed so that a head 65 may be fixed firmly by the right chin liner 61 and a left chin liner 62. Around the mouth, a space (cavity) 64 is formed, and this cavity 64 is partitioned by cloth 63. Then, when a close speak type microphone 71 is used, it is fixed on the front of the mouth firmly, and mounted so that the microphone 71 may receive the voice of the speaking person through the cavity 64. When a bone conduction type microphone 72 is used, it was installed in the location where it stuck to the head 65 firmly in a part of the right chin liner 61 or the left chin liner 62, and mounted to transfer the voice conveyed by the bone conduction in the microphone 72.
Like this, with the helmet containing the conventional microphone, the microphone of the close speak type is fixed on the close location to the mouth in order not to be affected by the influence of the noise of the surroundings and to improve S/N ratio, or to pick out the sound wave by bone conduction in order not to pick out the noise of the surroundings.
However, with the conventional microphone stated above, the decrease of the noise depends on the wearing state of the microphone and the effect on a noise decrease is limited. With the conventional helmet for communication shown in FIG. 9, the noise decrease level was no more than 6-7 dB. It is an object of this invention to solve the problem, by drastically raising a noise decrease level, to provide a communication helmet comprising a microphone that has high sensitivity and wide-band even when the noise level of the surroundings is high.
The helmet for communication in this invention is a helmet that installed microphone inside the helmet so that it may be located in the neighborhood of the mouth of the speaker, wherein the microphone is an optical microphone comprising, a diaphragm which oscillates by the sound pressure, a storage container that stores the diaphragm and has a first opening and a second opening provided in a symmetrical location and confronting the diaphragm, a light source which irradiates a light beam in the diaphragm, and a photodetector which receives a reflection light of the light beam irradiated in the diaphragm and outputs the signal coping with the oscillation of the diaphragm, wherein the optical microphone installed on a mount being slanted by a predetermined angle with the mount so that an arrival sound wave may enter equally in the first opening and the second opening, and wherein the mount is installed to have a space so that an outside sound wave may enter equally in the first opening and the second opening. The helmet for communication of this invention may further comprise an angle alignment means that varies an installation angle between the optical microphone and the mount. In the helmet for communication of this invention, the mount may be installed to be parallel with the optical microphone.


When an input signal level is small, the electrical length of a phase line 21 and the electrical length of a phase line 23 are set in such a manner that the impedance seen by looking into the output side from an impedance reference point 11 at the output side of a carrier amplifier 3 becomes 2R+α (where R is a load resistance and α is positive), and the electrical length of a phase line 22 is set at a difference between the electrical length of the phase line 21 and the electrical length of the phase line 23.

An RF amplifier used for broadcasting and communications is expected to amplify an RF signal at high efficiency and linearity. As for the amplifier, however, increasing the efficiency and increasing the linearity are incompatible in general. The efficiency of the amplifier exhibits such a characteristic as increasing with the power level of an input signal, and reaching the maximum efficiency in the neighborhood where the amplifier saturates. When using as the input signal a modulating wave with a large PAPR (Peak to Average Power Ratio) that has been used by broadcasting and mobile communications recently, the linearity deteriorates greatly at an operating point near the saturating point because of the clipping of a signal waveform due to saturation of the amplifier.
Therefore the RF amplifier used for broadcasting and communications is generally used at an operating level having a large output back-off from the saturating point. Accordingly, achieving the high efficiency at the operating level having the large output back-off from the saturating point is important. In contrast with this, as an effective technique of increasing the efficiency at the operating level having the large output back-off from the saturating point, a Doherty amplifier is reported.
For example, FIG. 14 shows a configuration of a Doherty amplifier as a conventional high efficiency amplifier described in Non-Patent Document 1, electrical lengths of its various portions, and impedances viewed from its various portions when the input signal level is small. The Doherty amplifier shown in FIG. 14 has an input terminal 1, an input splitting circuit 2, a class A or class AB biased carrier amplifier 3, an offset phase line 4, a 90° phase line 5, a phase line 6, a class B or class C biased peak amplifier 7, an offset phase line 8, a 90° phase line 9 and an output terminal 10.
In addition, FIG. 14 shows an impedance reference point 11 at the output side of the carrier amplifier 3, an impedance reference point 12 at the output side of the peak amplifier 7, and an output combining point 13 of the paths into which the input splitting circuit 2 splits the input. Here, the impedance reference point 11 at the output side of the carrier amplifier 3 is the point at which the load impedance seen by looking into the load side from the output side of the carrier amplifier 3 becomes maximum. Likewise, the impedance reference point 12 at the output side of the peak amplifier 7 is the point at which the impedance seen by looking into the output side of the offset phase line 8 from the output side of the peak amplifier 7 becomes maximum.
FIG. 15 shows the configuration of the Doherty amplifier as the conventional high efficiency amplifier described in the foregoing Non-Patent Document 1, the electrical lengths of its various portions, and the impedances seen from various portions when the input signal level is large. In FIG. 15, the same reference numerals as those of FIG. 14 designate the same components.
The offset phase line 4 connected to the carrier amplifier 3 has such an electrical length θc that will maximize the output impedance seen by looking into the output side of the carrier amplifier 3 from the impedance reference point 11 at the output side of the carrier amplifier 3. Likewise, the offset phase line 8 connected to the peak amplifier 7 has such an electrical length θp that will maximize the output impedance seen by looking into the output side of the peak amplifier 7 from the impedance reference point 12 at the output side of the peak amplifier 7. In addition, the electrical length of the 90° phase line 5 and that of the 90° phase line 9 are 90°, and the electrical length of the phase line 6 is 90+θc−θp.
The RF signal input via the input terminal 1 is divided by the input side splitting circuit 2 into two parts: a carrier amplifier 3 side path and a peak amplifier 7 side path. Along the carrier amplifier 3 side path, the RF signal from the input side splitting circuit 3 is supplied to the carrier amplifier 3, and the RF signal from the carrier amplifier 3 is supplied to the output combining point 13 via the offset phase line 4 and 90° phase line 5. On the other hand, along the peak amplifier 7 side path, the RF signal from the input side splitting circuit 2 is supplied to the peak amplifier 7 via the phase line 6, and the RF signal from the peak amplifier 7 is supplied to the output combining point 13 via the offset phase line 8. The output combining point 13 combines the RF signal from the carrier amplifier 3 with the RF output signal from the peak amplifier 7, and outputs the combined signal.
When the level of the input signal is small in FIG. 14, the class B or class C biased peak amplifier 7 becomes an OFF state, that is, the state in which the RF signal is not amplified. Thus, the output impedance of the peak amplifier 7 seen from the impedance reference point 12 at the output side of the peak amplifier 7 is ideally infinity (open) because of the effect of the offset phase line 8. In the conventional Doherty amplifier, the impedance reference point 12 and the output combining point 13 are connected directly so that they are considered to be the same point. Accordingly, the output impedance seen by looking into the peak amplifier 7 side from the output combining point 13 is ideally infinity (open).
In this case, assume that the load impedance seen by looking into the 90° phase line 9 from the output combining point 13 is R/2 (where R is the load resistance of the Doherty amplifier) and that the characteristic impedance of the 90° phase line 5 is R. Then, according to the impedance conversion effect by the 90° phase line 5, the load impedance seen by looking into the output side from the impedance reference point 11 at the output side of the carrier amplifier 3 becomes 2R, and only the RF signal from the carrier amplifier 3 is output from the output combining point 13.
On the other hand, when the input signal level is large in FIG. 15, the class B or class C biased peak amplifier 7 is brought into an ON state, that is, into the state in which the RF signal is amplified. Accordingly, at the output combining point 13, the RF signals from the carrier amplifier 3 and peak amplifier 7 are combined to be output. In this case, the load impedances seen by looking into the output side from the impedance reference point 11 at the output side of the carrier amplifier 3 and from the impedance reference point 12 at the output side of the peak amplifier 7 become R each.
Here, if the Doherty amplifier is designed in advance in such a manner that when the load impedance is 2R, the carrier amplifier 3 has low saturation power but high efficiency, and that when the load impedance is R, the carrier amplifier 3 and peak amplifier 7 each have large saturation power, then it is possible for the carrier amplifier 3 to operate at high efficiency when the input signal level is small, and for the carrier amplifier 3 and peak amplifier 7 to operate in such a manner that they have large saturation power when the input signal level is large.
According to the two functions, that is, the function that the output of the peak amplifier 7 is combined with that of the carrier amplifier 3 in response to the input signal level, and the function that the load impedance seen by looking into the output side from the carrier amplifier 3 and peak amplifier 7 varies in response to the input signal level, it becomes possible to implement the high efficiency operation in the state in which the output back-off from the saturation is large.
FIG. 16 illustrates efficiency characteristics versus output power of the Doherty amplifier. It is possible for the ideal Doherty amplifier to have two points at which the efficiency is maximum: the saturating point a of the Doherty amplifier; and the point b at which the output back-off is 6 dB as shown in FIG. 16. In FIG. 16, b is the first efficiency maximum point when only the carrier amplifier 3 operates when the input signal level is small, and a is the second efficiency maximum point when the carrier amplifier 3 and peak amplifier 7 operate when the input signal level is large.
Non-Patent Document 1: Youngoo Yang, Jeonghyeon Cha, Bumjae Shin, Bumman Kim, "A Fully Matched N-Way Doherty Amplifier With Optimized Linearity", IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. 3, pp. 986-993, March 2003.
In the Doherty amplifier as a conventional high efficiency amplifier, by using the 90° phase line 5 at the output side of the carrier amplifier 3, such conversion is implemented that the load impedance seen by looking into the output side from the impedance reference point 11 at the output side of the carrier amplifier 3 becomes 2R at a small signal and becomes R at a large signal. Therefore it is possible for the ideal Doherty amplifier to have two points at which the efficiency is maximum, that is, the saturating point of the Doherty amplifier and the point at which the output back-off is 6 dB. Conversely, it is theoretically impossible for the conventional Doherty amplifier to have the efficiency maximum point at an operating point at which the output back-off is greater than 6 dB. Thus, it has a problem of having its limit on achieving the high efficiency in a small signal region in which the output back-off is greater than 6 dB.
The present invention is implemented to solve the foregoing problem. Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a high efficiency amplifier capable of increasing the efficiency at the small signal operating level at which the output back-off is greater than 6 dB.


An airbag device is provided with a retainer, an airbag mounted on the retainer, an airbag-mounting ring to mount the airbag to the retainer, an inflator to inflate the airbag, a shape-maintaining component to maintain a folded shape of the airbag, and a module cover covering the folded airbag. The shape-maintaining component is fixed to bolts. A central portion of the shape-maintaining component is attached to a central portion of a front panel of the airbag with a seam thread. When the inflator is mounted on the retainer, since a space is provided in the retainer, a front-end side of the inflator is smoothly inserted.

The present invention relates to an airbag device to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a collision and the like, and more specifically, relates to an airbag device to be assembled while a folded shape of an airbag is maintained by a shape-maintaining component.
In general, an airbag device serving as a protector for an occupant in a vehicle and the like is configured to include an folded airbag, an inflator to supply gas to the airbag, bag holding components, e.g., a base plate and a case, on which the airbag and the inflator are mounted and fixed, and a cover which is disposed to cover a top surface of the folded airbag and which is torn by an inner pressure of the airbag when the airbag device is actuated.
In such an airbag device, the folded shape of the airbag may be maintained with a shape-maintaining component for the purposes of improving workability in mounting of the above-described cover and of preventing the deformation of the cover due to spontaneous restitution force of the airbag from the folded state during the mounting on a vehicle.
Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-296746 has disclosed an airbag device including a sheet with a shape of a crank-like long belt serving as the shape-maintaining component, and a folded shape of the airbag has been described in detail in the reference.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an airbag device 10 shown in the above-described reference, and FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b) are perspective views showing a state in which an airbag 12 is held with a shape-maintaining component 44.
The airbag device 10 is a driver airbag disposed at a central portion of a steering wheel of an automobile, and is configured to include the airbag 12, an inflator 14, a retainer (referred to as a base plate in the above-described reference) 16, a bag-mounting ring 18, and a module cover 20.
The airbag 12 has a bag shape formed by sewing perimeters of substantially circular two panels (a front panel and a rear panel) with each other, and the rear panel disposed in the inflator 14 side is provided with an opening (mouth portion) 24 for the insertion of the inflator 14 in the central portion.
A mounting flange 14a is provided around the inflator 14, and a gas eject portion is provided on a side perimeter surface of the inflator 14 at a side closer to the front-end than the flange 14a.
The base plate 16 is composed of a substantially rectangular plate-shaped portion 16a and leg plate portions 16b bending downwardly at an edge of the plate-shaped portion 16a.
An inflator insertion port 34 is provided at a central portion of the plate-shaped portion 16a of the base plate 16, and the front-end side of the inflator 14 is inserted in the inflator insertion port 34 from the backside, as shown in FIG. 7. The mouth portion 24 of the airbag 12 is mounted and fixed on the perimeter of the inflator insertion port 34 with the mounting rings 18 therebetween.
The mounting ring 18 is a ring-shaped metal component provided with bolts 38 protruding. The bolt 38 is inserted through a bolt through hole 28 provided at a perimeter of the mouth portion 24, and furthermore, is inserted through both a bolt through hole 35 provided in the perimeter of the opening 34 of the base plate 16 and a through hole 14b provided in the flange 14a of the inflator 14, with a nut 39 screwed in.
The leg portions 20a of the module cover 20 are fixed to the leg plate portions 16b with rivets 43, so that the module cover 20 is mounted on the base plate 16.
Reference numeral 44 denotes the shape-maintaining component covering the airbag 12 in a predetermined folded shape in order to maintain the folded shape.
In assembling the airbag device 10, after the airbag 12 is folded as shown in FIGS. 8(a) and 8(b), the bolt 38′ of the mounting ring 18 is inserted through a through hole 44a provided at one end portion of the shape-maintaining component 44. Then, the shape-maintaining component 44 is put over the folded airbag 12, and the bolt 38″ opposite to the above-described bolt 38′ on a diagonal line is inserted through a through hole 44b at the other end portion. In this manner, the shape of the folded airbag 12 is maintained.
The base plate 16 is put over the folded body of the airbag 12, and the bolts 38 are inserted through the bolt through holes 35. The front-end side of the inflator 14 is pushed in the airbag 12 through the opening 34 and the mouth portion 24, and the flange 14a is put on the backside of the base plate 16. At this time, the bolts 38 are inserted through the bolt through holes 14b. The nuts 39 are screwed in the bolts 38. Subsequently, the module cover 20 is put over the folded-airbag portion, and is fixed with rivets 43.
In assembling the airbag device 10, when the module cover 20 is mounted on the base plate 16 while being put over the folded body of the airbag 12, the shape-maintaining component 44 maintains the folded shape of the airbag 12. Consequently, the cover 20 is readily put over the airbag 12 so that the airbag device 10 has excellent workability in assembling. Even after the airbag device 10 is mounted on a vehicle, since the shape-maintaining component 44 maintains the folded shape of the airbag 12, the force caused by the spontaneous restitution of the shape from the folded state can be reduced while the force is applied to the cover 20, thereby preventing the deformation of the cover 20.
When the airbag 12 is inflated by the gas discharged from the inflator 14 in the event of a collision of the vehicle, the shape-maintaining component 44 is torn. The airbag 12 pushes the module cover 20 to open, and is deployed.
As described above, the airbag is folded into the predetermined shape in assembling the airbag device 10. An example of the folding method has been described in detail in Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-316605.
FIGS. 9(a)–9(f) to 13 are diagrams for illustrating the method of folding an airbag in the above-described reference. An airbag 50 is formed by sewing a front panel 51 and a rear panel 52 with each other, and the rear panel 52 is provided with a gas inlet (mouth portion) 54 and a vent hole 55.
As shown in FIG. 9(a), the front panel 51 of the airbag 50 is allowed to face upward, and the airbag 50 is placed on a flat worktable in a flat shape. In this case, two straight lines intersecting at a center ◯ serves as reference axes X and Y, and specify horizontal and vertical directions.
As shown in FIG. 9(b), an upper part of the airbag 50 is folded along a predetermined first folding line 1a adjacent to the gas inlet 54. As shown in FIGS. 9(c) to 9(e) and 9(f), an end portion of the upper part is rolled along predetermined folding lines 1b, 1c and 1d, toward the front panel side to form an upper deployment portion 61 shown in FIG. 13.
As shown in FIG. 10(a), a right side part is folded over a central part along a predetermined first folding line 4a adjacent to the gas inlet 54. As shown in FIGS. 10(b) to 10(d) and 10(e), an end portion of the right side part is rolled along predetermined folding lines 4b, 4c and 4d toward the front panel side to form a right deployment portion 64 shown in FIG. 13.
As shown in FIG. 11(a), a left side part is folded over the central part along a predetermined first folding line 3a adjacent to the gas inlet 54. As shown in FIGS. 11(b) to 11(d) and 11(e), an end portion of the left side part is rolled along predetermined folding lines 3b, 3c and 3d toward the front panel side to form a left deployment portion 63 shown in FIG. 13.
As shown in FIG. 12(a), a lower side part is folded over the central part along a predetermined first folding line 2a set close to the gas inlet 54. As shown in FIGS. 12(b) to 12(d), an end portion of the lower part is rolled along predetermined folding lines 2b, 2c and 2d toward the occupant side to form a lower deployment portion 62 shown in FIG. 13.
Consequently, as shown in FIG. 13, the right deployment portion 64 and the left deployment portion 63 are overlapped at the occupant side of the folded airbag, and the lower deployment portion 62 is further put over the deployment portions 63 and 64 at the occupant side.
Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 09-30425 has disclosed that in an airbag device in which only a module cover recedes and a horn switch is turned on so as to sound a horn when a module cover is pushed, a folded airbag is bound to a retainer with a band, and a space for recession of the module cover is formed between the module cover and the top surface of the folded airbag. In this case, the module cover is mounted on the retainer while being movable in a vertical direction (in the direction of approaching or receding from the occupant). An urging device, e.g., a spring, is provided for urging the module cover upwardly.
Airbag devices in which only a module cover recedes and a horn switch is turned on so as to sound a horn when a module cover is pushed have also been disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 06-53324, Japanese Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 06-53365, and Japanese Utility Model Publication (Kokai) No. 05-92004.
As shown in FIG. 7, Japanese Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-296746 has disclosed the airbag device as if an adequate inner space (clearance) is provided, and the front-end side of the inflator 14 is easily inserted into the airbag 12 through the inflator insertion port 34 and the mouth portion 24. However, FIG. 7 is just a schematic diagram, and in an actual device, the airbag is tightly folded multiple times with little clearance as shown in FIGS. 9(a)–9(f) to 13. Immediately after the airbag is folded (before the insertion of the inflator), the tightly folded airbag is disposed in layers on the plate-shaped portion 16a of the base plate 16. Accordingly, the top of the inflator insertion port of the base plate 16 is in a condition that the folded airbag tightly seals. In assembling the airbag device with the shape-maintaining component, the front-end side of the inflator 14 is pushed into the folded airbag through the opening 34. Therefore, the operator is required to have a significant muscle power and, in addition, it takes long time to mount the inflator.
In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an airbag device with an airbag shape-maintaining component, wherein an inflator is easily mounted, and an assembling efficiency is excellent.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.