An acoustic wave flow sensor is disclosed, which includes a sensor substrate and an acoustic wave diaphragm etched upon the sensor substrate, wherein mechanical stress or strain is concentrated in the acoustic wave diaphragm. One or more interdigital transducers can be configured upon the acoustic wave diaphragm, wherein the sensor substrate, the acoustic wave diaphragm and the interdigital transducer(s) form an acoustic wave flow sensor, such that when the interdigital transducer and the acoustic wave diaphragm are exposed to a fluid in flow, the fluid in flow causes the acoustic wave diaphragm to experience a change in the mechanical stress or strain resulting in a detectable frequency and/or phase change in order to provide an indication of fluid flow.

Flow sensors are utilized in a variety of fluid-sensing applications for detecting the quality of fluids, including gas and liquid. Flow sensors for such fluids, which detect the fluid flow or property of fluid, can be implemented, for example, as sensors on silicon in microstructure form. For convenience sake, and without limitation, the term "flow sensor" not only can refer to the flow of a fluid (including both gas and liquids), but can also be implemented in the context of thermal sensors. The reader will appreciate that such sensors may be also utilized to measure primary properties such as temperature, thermal conductivity, specific heat and other properties; and that the flows may be generated through forced or natural convection.
A fluid or thermal-type flow sensor typically includes a substrate that includes a heating element and a proximate heat-receiving element or two. If two such sensing elements are used, they are preferably positioned at upstream and downstream sides of the heating element relative to the direction of the fluid (liquid or gas) flow to be measured. When fluid flows along the substrate, it is heated by the heating element at the upstream side and the heat is then transferred non-symmetrically to the heat-receiving elements on either side of the heating element. Since the level of non-symmetry depends on the rate of gas flow and that non-symmetry can be sensed electronically, such a flow sensor can be used to determine the rate and the cumulative amount of the fluid flow.
Such flow sensors generally face potential degradation problems when exposed to harsh (contaminated, dirty, condensing, etc.) fluids, including gases or liquids that can "stress" the sensor via corrosion, radioactive or bacterial contamination, overheating, or freeze-ups. The sensitive measurement of the flow, or pressure (differential or absolute) of "harsh" gases or liquids that can stress corrode, freeze-up, or overheat the sensing elements is a challenge that is either unmet or met at great expense.
Among the solutions proposed previously are passivation with the associated desensitization of the sensor, heaters to avoid condensation or freeze-ups (or coolers to prevent overheating) at the expense of sensor signal degradation, cost increase and possible fluid degradation, or filters to remove objectionable particulate matter. Frequent cleaning or replacement of the sensors is an additional, but costly, solution. Sensitive, membrane-based differential pressure sensors can be protected against contamination because no flow is involved, but they are much less sensitive and much more expensive than thermal micro-sensors, in addition to not being overpressure proof.
Another problem with fluid or thermal flow sensors, particularly, micro-bridge thermal flow sensors, it that such devices possess a relative small dynamic range. A micro-bridge thermal flow sensor, for example, typically incorporates a heater that consumes a great deal of power. It is therefore difficult to adapt such devices for passive wireless applications. An additional problem with thermal flow sensors is that heating may introduce unwanted chemical compositional change or damage the fluid (e.g., blood), particularly in medical applications.
It is believed that one possible solution for the problems inherent with flow sensors is the use of acoustic wave devices, such as, for example, surface acoustic wave sensor. Examples of acoustic wave sensors include devices such as surface acoustic wave sensors, which can be utilized to detect the presence of substances, such as chemicals. An acoustic wave (e.g., SAW/BAW) device acting as a sensor can provide a highly sensitive detection mechanism due to the high sensitivity to surface loading and the low noise, which results from their intrinsic high Q factor.
Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices are typically fabricated using photolithographic techniques with comb-like interdigital transducers (IDTs) placed on a piezoelectric material. A SAW device relies on the use of waves that propagate at the surface of a piezoelectric substrate, such that the displacement amplitudes of such waves experience an exponential decay beneath the surface. A SAW sensor can be fabricated on a very thin diaphragm. The theoretical inherent strengths of elastic materials are generally orders of magnitude greater than the measured strengths of the ordinary forms of these materials. This reduction in strength is known to be caused principally by surface flaws, such as scratches, which concentrate the applied stress and thereby lead to fracture at loads which are much lower than the theoretical maximum.
Etching has been used in BAW device manufacturing for many years, such as inverted mesa type high frequency fundamental crystal resonators. Etching was introduced in SAW sensor manufacturing to etch off the backside of the sensor. Etching in a wet chemical process has been shown to be capable of chemically polishing quartz over a broad range of conditions. The etching process can remove a large amount of materials from lapped blanks while simultaneously producing an improved surface finish, without producing shifts in the angles of cut. This process can also produce SAW dies with greater strength, which is particularly important for many sensing applications.
Etching does not introduce defects, but etching does reveal defects. Swept quartz is needed for micro-machined SAW sensors. A swept quartz wafer is usually free of etch channels. Etch channels are a consequence of dislocations at which impurities are segregated. Swept quartz also has fewer etch pits compared to non-swept quartz. SAW sensors can also be constructed using double side polished wafers. For example, a polished device may possess a mechanical strength increased by 10 times. This is critical in overpressure proofing. Because the backside of the SAW wafer is to be etched, the surface condition is critical in the etch surface finish. The quality of an etched surface finish primarily depends on the surface prior to etching, the depth of etch, etchants selection, speed of etching and the quality of quartz utilized.
Surface acoustic wave devices may have either a delay line or a resonator configuration. The change of the acoustic property due to measurand can be interpreted as a delay time shift for the delay line surface acoustic wave device (SAW-DL) or a frequency shift for the resonator (BAW/SAW-R) acoustic wave device.
Acoustic wave sensing devices often rely on the use of quartz crystal resonator components, such as the type adapted for use with electronic oscillators. Acoustic wave devices are attractive to fluid flow applications because of their high sensitivity, resolution and ruggedness. The detection mechanism implemented depends on changes in the acousto-elastic properties of the piezoelectric crystal when exposed to a gas or fluid. Wired measurement results are usually obtained as the output frequency of a loop oscillator circuit, which utilizes the acoustic wave device as the feedback element.
In general, existing SAW flow sensor concepts are based on the same thermal mass flow theory that applies to micro-bridge thermal flow type sensors, which measures the displacement of the temperature profile caused by the flow around a heater. One of the problems with existing SAW flow sensor designs is that such configurations incorporate two or more SAW temperatures sensors along with a heater. Such a design increases the sensor size and raises the production cost and power usage thereof. Additionally, the use of a heating element introduces accelerated aging for any IDT electrodes and associated SAW sensing components.
There are two other techniques for measuring flow rate using an acoustic wave sensor. One is to measure the flow-induced shear stress. This kind of acoustic wave sensor could have a textured surface. The textured surface helps to increase the shear stress induced by flow. The other technique involves measuring the pressure difference between two points by applying Bernoulli's law.
Shear stress is a flow-induced force exerted on the wall of the flow tube. This force relies upon units of force per unit square area. The flow rate can be calculated from the following relationship: Q=τ/6μ, where Q is the fluid flow rate (m3/sec), τ is the shear stress (N/m2), μ is the fluid viscosity (Nm/s2), and A is related to the geometry of the tube.
The magnitude of the fluid flow rate is linearly dependent on the shear stress. Since the fluid viscosity and density are temperature dependent, changes in temperature affect the shear stress, hence the flow rate measurement. The effect of temperature on density is usually small, and when temperature increases, the fluid viscosity usually increases, so the shear force usually decreases. Based on the foregoing, it is desirable to implement an acoustic wave temperature sensor on the same sensor die of an acoustic wave flow sensor.


Aspects of the embodiments are directed to an opto-electronic device and methods of using the same. The opto-electronic device can include a processing device and a photonic device. The photonic device can include an optical demultiplexer; a collimating lens optically coupled to the optical demultiplexer and positioned to receive light from the optical demultiplexer, the collimating lens to collimate light received from the optical demultiplexer; a photodetector comprising a photosensitive element, the photosensitive element to convert received light into an electrical signal; and a focusing lens optically coupled to the photodetector, the focusing lens to receive light and focus the light towards the photosensitive element.

Fiber optics and photonics have increased the bandwidth and speeds available for communications systems, computing, networking, and other electronics systems. Optical systems used for photonics applications can use optical multiplexers and demultiplexers for multi-channel applications. On the reception end, a demultiplexer can receive light from an optical fiber and separate the received light into multiple channels, and direct the light into a photo-sensitive element.

Dual collimating lens configuration for optical devices


A method and an apparatus for detecting a partial discharge in a high-voltage transmission and distribution system include detectors which are respectively attached to a power cable and an antenna, such that a first signal and a second signal at a predetermined frequency are extracted using resonators. The first signal is supplied to a differential amplifier via a delay circuit. The second signal is supplied to the differential amplifier via a regulator that includes a variable delay circuit and a variable amplifier. The output from the differential amplifier is demodulated in a demodulator. The signal from the demodulator is supplied to an MPU via an A/D converter to determine the amount of adjustment in phase and amplitude which is to be supplied to the regulator. Then, control is provided such that the output from the differential amplifier is minimized in the absence of partial discharges.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for detecting a partial discharge in a high-voltage transmission and distribution system, and a partial discharge detection apparatus used therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for detecting a partial discharge in an insulator of a high-voltage power cable, for example, and to a partial discharge detection system used therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, if there is foreign matter or a void in a portion of the insulator of a high-voltage power cable, a partial discharge occurs at that portion. A discharge phenomenon occurs in which an electrical tree grows in the insulator until an electrical breakdown, such as a short circuit, occurs. The inner portion of an electrical tree is hollow and the amount of the partial discharge (measured in pC) increases as the electrical tree grows. Thus, it is possible to predict an electrical breakdown by detecting a partial discharge and monitoring the amount of the partial discharge.
Accordingly, monitoring a partial discharge is performed by applying a voltage to a high-voltage transmission and distribution system, such as a power cable. However, since a signal associated with a partial discharge is very weak, the partial discharge often cannot be detected due to noise contamination. Such noise may be caused by electromagnetic waves, engine sparks from vehicles, sparks from motors, or aerial discharges from bare electrical wires or wire terminals. In order to prevent the influence of such noise, a partial discharge is detected in a shield room, as shown in FIG. 5.
As shown in FIG. 5, the shield room is a room that is grounded, in which a high voltage is applied to a power cable 1 via a blocking coil 2. In addition, a detector 3 is attached to the power cable 1 to measure an electric current flowing through a circuit including a high-voltage capacitor 4, and to thereby detect the partial discharge. Here, to detect the partial discharge, an output signal from the detector 3 is transmitted through a resonant circuit 5 to remove commercial frequency components from the output signal, as shown in FIG. 6, thereby acquiring only a partial discharge signal associated with the partial discharge. The partial discharge signal is amplified by an amplifier 6 and then demodulated by a demodulator 7. Thus, a signal is obtained which has an amplitude corresponding to the amount of the partial discharge.
As described above, external noise caused by, for example, electromagnetic waves or engine sparks from a vehicle are removed by measuring the partial discharge inside the shield room. However, it is not possible to prevent noise caused by a motor attached to a step-up transformer inside the shield room or noise caused by aerial discharges from an terminal of the power cable. To remove such noise, for example, a detector 7 may be attached to the high-voltage capacitor 4 to differentiate the outputs from the two detectors 3 and 7, as shown in FIG. 7. In this case, the noise captured by the power cable causes electric currents to flow through the two detectors 3 and 7 in the same direction. Accordingly, the noise is cancelled out by differentiating the outputs from the two detectors 3 and 7, as shown in FIG. 8. On the other hand, when a partial discharge occurs, electric currents will flow through the two detectors 3 and 7 in opposite directions, as shown in FIG. 9. Accordingly, a high output corresponding to the partial discharge can be obtained by differentiating the outputs from the two detectors 3 and 7, as shown in FIG. 10.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 11, a technique for monitoring a phase angle region in which a partial discharge is likely to occur has been disclosed. This technique uses a property that a partial discharge and an aerial discharge are likely to occur in different phase angle regions of a signal at an applied frequency (commercial frequency) (e.g., see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 6-331686).
When monitoring a partial discharge in an in-service power cable, since the power cable may capture noise caused by, for example, electromagnetic waves, such noise must be removed. Another technique for detecting a signal associated with a partial discharge by monitoring a partial discharge in a frequency region at a low noise level has been disclosed, as shown in FIG. 13 (e.g., see Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 6-308192). This technique utilizes the fact that a signal associated with a partial discharge has a flat frequency characteristic, as shown in FIG. 12.
Furthermore, a method for detecting noise, such as noise caused by engine sparks from a vehicle, using a detector 9 attached to an antenna 8 which is installed near the power cable is available, as shown in FIG. 14. This method utilizes the fact that noise is received by both the power cable and the antenna whereas a signal associated with a partial discharge is propagated only through the power cable. Thus, the noise can be cancelled out and a signal associated only with the partial discharge can be detected by differentiating the outputs from the detector 3 attached to the power cable and the detector 9 attached to the antenna 8, as shown in FIG. 15.
However, in the case of monitoring a partial discharge in the shield room, only a power cable that is not in service can be checked, and a power cable that is in service cannot be checked for a partial discharge. Thus, it is not possible to detect degradation of an in-service insulator.
Additionally, in the case of monitoring a partial discharge within the frequency region at the low noise level, it is difficult to select a detecting frequency because noise frequency characteristics may vary depending on the location of measurement. Furthermore, even when measurements are made at the same location, the noise frequency characteristics may vary over time. Thus, although a partial discharge can be detected during a particular period of time, it may be difficult to detect a partial discharge at all times. In addition, a frequency region at a low noise level is typically a high-frequency region. Thus, a long cable, such as a power cable, has greatly increased signal attenuation. Therefore, the sensitivity of the detection deteriorates when a partial discharge occurs in a distant place from the detection location. Furthermore, since the detection of the partial discharge is performed within a frequency region at a low noise level, the detecting frequency must be varied corresponding to a change of noise frequency characteristics, thereby increasing the complexity of the circuit configuration.
On the other hand, in the method for canceling out noise by installing the antenna, the detected pulse obtained from an object being measured and the detected pulse obtained through the antenna are often different both in level and timing. Thus, the method cannot easily distinguish noise from a partial discharge. Furthermore, the method has no effect on non-pulsed noise, such as electromagnetic noise. In addition, when the electromagnetic noise level is high or noise occurs very frequently, a signal associated with a partial discharge may be masked by the noise.

Method and apparatus for detecting a partial discharge in a high-voltage transmission and distribution system


A support for structural components that are subjected to a thermal treatment process. The support includes a frame having limbs and extending therefrom a grid of intersecting strands. In order to prevent the support from warping even when subjected to strong thermal loads or variations in temperature, the frame is produced from a temperature-resistant material and the strands are produced from carbon fibers or ceramic fibers that form the grid, extending from the limbs of the frame.

The invention relates to a carrier for structural parts to be subjected to a heat-treatment process, comprising at least one frame and a lattice extending therefrom comprising intersecting strands, the frame consisting of one or more limbs, which preferably form a polygon, and the frame comprising temperature-resistant material and the strands, extending from the limb or pieces of the frame to form the lattice, comprising carbon fibers or ceramic fibers.
To position or fix slim metallic or ceramic structural parts and components during heat-treatment processes, they are inserted into holding frames. Heat-treatment processes are, for example, sintering processes, hardening processes, finishing processes or soldering processes. Usual processing temperatures are between 700° C. and 2600° C., whereby one typically works at between 800° C. and 1600° C.
According to the prior art, frames having such lattices comprise metal. The lattices are thereby formed by strands in the form of rods having e.g. a diameter of 2 mm. However, such holding devices exhibit considerable disadvantages which can be seen, inter alia, in the following:                distortions during thermal cycles,        creep of the entire structure due to the effect of temperature,        high dead weight,        high heat capacity,        short life due to embrittlement,        high cost of adjustment to extend useful life,        increased waste of the parts to be treated due to distortion of the holding device.
Due, particularly, to a reduced shape stability, problems are often caused in loading or unloading such holding devices by means of manipulators such as robots.
A fibrous composite part having a lattice-like structure which is used in high-temperature furnaces and system construction, in heat-treating technology or sintering technology as a grate, is known from DE-A 199 57 906. A fiber preform, which is produced especially according to the TFP (Tailored Fiber Placement) technology and then pyrolyzed, i.e. carbonized or graphitized, is used for the production.
A carrier for hardening material is described in DE-U 295 12 569. In this case, the carrier comprises carbon fiber-reinforced carbon material (CFC material) which can have a protective layer consisting of SiC, BN or TiN. The carrier comprises limbs that can be interconnected and have recesses that are aligned to one another through which the material to be hardened is passed.

Support for structural components and method for producing the same


A compressed sheet comprises: base fibers constituted by inorganic fibers other than asbestos, or organic fibers, or a combination of both; a rubber; rubber chemicals; and fillers. In the compressed sheet a material with both smoothing and reinforcing effects is exposed at least to one of the surfaces of the compressed sheet. A method of manufacturing a compressed sheet comprises the steps of processing a composition for forming the compressed sheet by feeding it into a pair of rolls comprising a hot roll and a cold roll, thereby laminating the composition into a sheet-shaped material on the hot roll, and then peeling off the sheet-shaped laminated material. In this method the composition is fed into the rolls such that a material with both smoothing and reinforcing effects is exposed at least to that surface of the sheet-shaped laminated material which faces the cold roll.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a compressed sheet to be used as a gasket base material, for example, in a motorcar, a ship, various kinds of apparatuses or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As this kind of compressed sheet, those of asbestos make have been conventionally used. However, out of consideration of hazards to the human body or the like, many kinds of alternative products have been proposed. For example, as disclosed in the Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 129377/1987, there is known a compressed sheet comprising: base fibers constituted by inorganic fibers other than asbestos, organic fibers or a combination of both; a rubber; rubber chemicals; and fillers. This kind of compressed sheet is manufactured by forming a compressed sheet which comprises: base fibers constituted by inorganic fibers other than asbestos, organic fibers, or a combination of both; a rubber; rubber chemicals; and fillers is processed by feeding it between a pair of rolls comprising a hot roll and a cold roll, thereby laminating the composition into a sheet-shaped material on the hot roll. The sheet-shaped material is then peeled off the roll.
However, the asbestos-replaced compressed sheet (i.e., asbestos is replaced by another material to make it asbestos-free) as proposed in the aforementioned patent application has a larger creep relaxation than the compressed sheet of asbestos make, resulting in a possibility of inducing a phenomenon of torque loss. Therefore, a proposal for an asbestos-replaced compressed sheet having an improved creep relaxation has been awaited.
In addition, the method of manufacturing the asbestos-replaced compressed sheet as proposed above has a problem in that the composition forming the compressed sheet is likely to be adhered to the cold roll at an end period of feeding during processing, resulting in a poor workability and variation in properties in the compressed sheet obtained. Consequently, it is rather time-consuming to pick up only the joint sheets of acceptable quality by throwing away those of unacceptable quality.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an asbestos-replaced compressed sheet which satisfies the aforementioned requirements, and a method of manufacturing an asbestos-replaced compressed sheet which solves the aforementioned problems.

Compressed sheet and method of manufacturing thereof


A liquid applicator is provided which is particularly useful in applying preoperative surgical scrubs or paints to skin. The liquid is contained in a frangible ampoule inside the body of the applicator. This ampoule is supported and protected by a deformable element that prevents unintentional breakage of the ampoule from impacts during storage and handling before use. The applicator is actuated by pushing at least a portion of the frangible ampoule through an aperture in the deformable element and into contact with a means for breaking the ampoule.

Antiseptic preparation of patients for surgery conventionally includes a 3-10 minute scrubbing of the affected area with a soap solution followed by the application of a water soluble antiseptic paint solution. These solutions are generally applied with saturated sponges that are attached to a blade or held with forceps. The sponges are saturated by soaking in open pans of solution.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,415,288; 4,507,111; and 4,498,796 describe surgical scrub devices that include a liquid containing, rupturable, cylindrical cartridge which is slidable within a tubular handle having one or two longitudinally oriented hollow spikes that communicate to recesses in the interior of a sponge. Sliding the cartridge in the tubular handle causes the spikes to rupture one end of the cartridge. Liquid from the cartridge flows through the lumen of the spikes to the sponge. To prevent rupture of the cartridge by the spikes from impact during, for example, shipping, an embodiment of the device incorporates an inwardly projecting shoulder in the tubular handle that may interfere with the sliding of the cartridge. Ease of actuation is also a potential problem with an applicator that requires puncturing a plastic cartridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,684 describes a fluid dispenser that includes a liquid containing ampoule in a flexible housing. A porous pad element is disposed over the bottom opening. The liquid is released to the porous pad by crushing the ampoule through the flexible housing walls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,385 describes a dispensing applicator having a wedge used for breaking a frangible ampoule.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,268 to Andersen et al. discloses an apparatus for testing the sufficiency of sterilization. It includes an ampoule containing a sterile liquid culture medium which is broken by the user when a plunger pushes the ampoule against an opening wedge.
Coassigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,327, which is hereby incorporated by reference, describes a liquid applicator which incorporates a rigid, porous metering insert to regulate the flow rate of liquid disposed between the applicator handle and a foam sponge covering a major orifice of the handle. The liquid to be dispensed is contained in a rupturable reservoir removably affixed at the other major orifice of the handle. Since no means is provided for protecting the reservoir container, plastic is the preferred container material. However, plastic containers can limit the shelf life of many antiseptic solutions.

Liquid applicator with frangible ampoule and support

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company


A data communication device includes a receiving circuit configured to receive a data signal in an active state. An intermittent activation control circuit activates the receiving circuit into the active state in a predetermined time interval. A control unit operates in response to the data signal received by the receiving circuit. Also, the control unit controls the time interval of the intermittent activation control circuit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data communication system and a data communication method, and, in particular, to a data communication system for an intermittent activation control circuit and a data communication method in the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, safety-related regulations have been tightened in Japan and US. According to the TREAD Act (Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability and Document Act) that will come in effect in North America, a tire pneumatic pressure monitoring system should be installed to new cars to be on the market in 2006 and afterward. On that account, studies are currently being performed on a technique of attaching a sensor inside a tire and measuring a pneumatic pressure and temperature of the tire. In the technique, a sensor unit is installed in a valve portion of each of four tires to monitor all the four tires independently. This technique offers advantages in that it is possible to monitor the tire pneumatic pressure in a high precision even while the car is stopped or parked.
As a pneumatic pressure monitoring system, a system is known in which a tire pneumatic pressure is measured in a specific time interval, data on the tire pneumatic pressure is sent to a car body by radio wave, and the data is displayed on a display unit provided to a front panel of the car. This system is provided with a transmitting module installed inside the tire wheel and a receiving module attached to the car body. The transmitting module is provided with several kinds of sensors for detecting a pneumatic pressure, temperature, etc., a receiving section for receiving a command data sent from the receiving module by LF (Low Frequency) wave, and a transmitting section for transmitting data obtained by the sensors to the receiving module by RF (Radio Frequency) wave. Electric power consumed in the transmitting module is all supplied from a battery connected to the transmitting module.
As mentioned above, the transmitting module is attached inside the tire wheel mainly carries out tire pneumatic pressure measurement, signal processing, radio transmission, etc. Thus, the transmitting module is required to be compact and lightweight so as not to affect tire balance. For this purpose, it is practical with respect to a cost that the battery used for the module is a button battery or the like. Also, the battery must be connected to the transmitting module in such a manner as not to be easily disconnected due to vibration on driving. Generally, the battery is not replaced until the tire is discarded.
Under these use conditions, it is desired to utilize the transmitting module efficiently in minimum power consumption.
In conjunction with the above description, a "device for detecting tire mounting position" is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Application (JP-P2003-220809A). In this conventional example, a tire pneumatic pressure detecting section is installed inside each tire to detect a pneumatic pressure of each of tires. A transmission section is installed inside each tire together with the tire pneumatic pressure detection section, and transmits tire pneumatic pressure data detected by the tire pneumatic pressure detection section together with a tire identifier. Receiving sections are installed in the vehicle body in proximity to the tires to receive the tire identifier and the tire pneumatic pressure data transmitted by the transmission section. The transmission section has a wake mode in which a signal is transmitted to the receiving section and a sleep mode in which no signal is transmitted. The receiving section, at a time of the driving of the vehicle, issues a wake-up signal to the transmission section installed in the tire closest to the installation position of the receiving section to switch the transmission section from the sleep mode to the wake mode. Then, the receiving section receives the tire pneumatic pressure data and the tire identifier returned from the transmission section, and confirms the tire mounting position based on the tire pneumatic pressure data and the tire identifier.
In the above-mentioned conventional example, when the transmission section is in the sleep mode, the receiving section cancels the sleep mode by transmitting a wake-up signal to the transmission section. Accordingly, a part of the transmission section must keep its active state so as to be always able to receive the wake-up signal from the receiving section. Thus, a current is consumed all the times. As a result, the lifetime of a battery becomes short in the above-mentioned system in which it is difficult to replace the battery. As a result, a problem is caused that a predetermined operation time, e.g., ten years is not satisfied. In addition, a cost increases if a large-sized battery is used to secure the predetermined operation time.

Data communication apparatus with intermittent activation control circuit


The mechanism of this lipstick has telescoping non-circular sections between base and pomade cup to assure their rotation together. Outward flanges help stabilize the sections laterally. The telescoping sections are assembled by axially collapsing a pre-form.

Lipsticks, along with their operating mechanisms, have evolved from simple containers for enclosing and exposing the product (pomade) into complex and sophisticated systems. The industry regards as paramount the following criteria:
1. Cost. Above all else, in the highly competitive cosmetic industry, the container manufacturer is under immense pressure to provide a product at the lowest possible cost.
2. Dimension. Offer the smallest possible outside diameter without compromising the size of the pomade in order to achieve a slim appearance.
3. Sealability. Be capable of being sealed to contain the highly volatile pomade formulations that are currently in vogue.
4. Operation. When turned by the user to propel the product, must feel elegantly smooth.
5. Cup control. Hold the pomade in an erect manner with a minimum of side play so that it does not contact the surrounding surfaces of the mechanism.
6. Assembly. Allow simple assembly of the components that can be accomplished in conjunction with the parts molding operation.
7. Disassembly. Allow easy disassembly ancL categorization of the parts to comply with ever-increasing recycling legislation.
Currently available commercial mechanisms have attempted to satisfy sealability, operation and cup control criteria. There are none that address the cost, dimension, assembly and disassembly criteria. One noted attempt to improve the dimension issue is disclosed in the old U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,395,710 and 2,419,526 of J. W. Anderson of Newtown, Conn. in 1946 and 1947 respectively. While meritorious, these patents did not address the other issues, especially the cost. Many patented designs have not been commercially pursued for failure to measure up to one or more of these criteria.


In a first processing chamber, a feedstock may be combined with plasma from three plasma torches to form a first fluid mixture. Each torch may have a working gas including water vapor, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. The first fluid mixture may be cooled and may contact a first heat exchange device. Water in the first heat exchange device may be converted to steam to generate electric power. The output fluid from the first heat exchange device may be separated into one or more components. A syngas may be derived from the one or more components and have a ratio of carbon monoxide to hydrogen of about 1:2. The syngas may be heated in a second processing chamber and then cooled to form a second admixture. The second admixture may contact a second heat exchange device that may make steam to power a second electrical generator.

Fuel materials may take on a variety of forms, from simple gasses such as hydrogen to complex mixtures including aviation fuels. Due to their wide range of chemical compositions, chemical fuels may be generated through a variety of processes and may require facilities dedicated to synthesizing only a small number of possible fuel types. Such facilities may be optimized to generate only the fuels to which they are dedicated. Additionally, each facility may require a specific set of feed-stocks or precursor materials for fuel synthesis.
Typically, carbon-based fuels rely on thermal methods for their synthesis. Such methods may include pyrolysis, cracking, and endothermic synthesis steps. Such processes may generate excessive heat as a by-product of their synthetic methods. Further, such thermal chemistry-based synthetic methods may not be efficient even for an optimized facility.
It is therefore desirable to develop high efficiency methods for generating a variety of gaseous and/or liquid fuels from a limited number of readily available feed stocks.


An electronic device mounting structure includes an electronic device, a busbar, and a solder. The electronic device has a body and a lead protruding from the body. The busbar has a flat portion and a wall portion rising from a periphery of the flat portion. The flat portion of the busbar extends parallel to a tip portion of the lead and is in contact with a back surface of the tip portion. The wall portion of the busbar faces a side surface of the tip portion with a predetermined space. The solder is located in the space and joins the side surface of the tip portion and the wall portion of the busbar.

A common package structure for an electronic device such as an integrated circuit (IC) includes a dual inline package (DIP), a single inline package (SIP), and a zigzag inline package (ZIP). This type of package structure is generally constructed with a housing and a row of leads protruding from a side of the housing. An electronic device employing such a package structure is hereinafter called the "lead-equipped electronic device".
It is well known that the lead-equipped electronic device is mounted on a printed circuit board by soldering the leads to trace patterns of the circuit board. JP-A-2002-93995 discloses a structure in which the lead-equipped electronic device is mounted on a busbar by soldering the leads to the busbar. The long-term durability of the structure disclosed in JP-A-2002-93995 may be reduced due to thermal stress exerted on the solder joints between the leads and the busbar.

Electronic device mounting structure for busbar


A method and apparatus for improved cell detection in a cellular communication system correlates a received signal with both a primary synchronization signal and a secondary synchronization signal. The results from the primary and secondary synchronization detection are used to determine if a new cell has been found. By also including the secondary synchronization signal during the cell detection procedure, the rate of false detection can be reduced while still maintaining detection performance. In addition, a longer standby time can be achieved for the user terminal.

1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to cell detection by terminals in mobile radio systems which use at least two synchronization signals for base station synchronization.
2. Description of Related Art
Code division multiple access (CDMA) communication technologies were developed to allow for multiple users to share scarce radio communication resources. In the general CDMA method, each user terminal is assigned a unique code sequence to be used to encode its information signal. A receiver, knowing the code sequences of the user terminal, can decode the received signal to reproduce the original information signal. The use of the unique code sequence during modulation provides for an enlarging of the spectrum of the transmitted signal resulting in a spread spectrum signal. The spectral spreading of the transmitted signal gives rise to the multiple access capability of CDMA.
If multiple users transmit spread spectrum signals at the same time, the receiver will still be able to distinguish a particular user's signal, provided that each user has a unique code and the cross-correlation between codes is sufficiently low. Ideally, the cross-correlation should be zero, i.e., the codes should be orthogonal in the code space. Correlating a received signal with a code signal from a particular user will result in the despreading of the information signal from that particular user, while signals from other users will remain spread out over the channel bandwidth.
An improvement of the CDMA method, known as Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), has been developed by a number of organizations around the world. One of the most popular of these WCDMA efforts is that of the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). Some of the benefits provided by WCDMA include support for increased bandwidth and bitrates, and provisions for packet data communication and other services. In a WCDMA system, a mobile terminal, referred to as user equipment (UE), communicates with one or more base stations each serving a particular cell.
An important consideration for mobile terminals in a communication system, such as a WCDMA system, is that of standby time. To increase standby time the power consumption when the terminal is turned on, but not in use, should be minimized. Power consumption can be reduced by powering off parts of the terminal, such as signal processing circuitry, when it is not in use. However, the primary factor that limits standby time in a terminal is the need for the terminal to monitor for signals, such as paging messages, and perform signal measurements, such as signal strength measurements of nearby cells, during standby. Another important, but power demanding procedure is that of cell search or cell detection. This procedure includes searching for new cells close to the terminal. False cell detection results in the unnecessary powering up of mobile terminal circuitry, which contributes to increased power consumption and reduced standby time. The present invention provides for an improved method for cell detection which reduces the false detection rate and improves detection performance. In addition, a longer standby time for the terminal can be achieved.

Method and apparatus for improved cell detection


A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a method of creating and managing an index fund based on an index of funds of hedge funds, including steps of (a) identifying potential funds for an index of funds of hedge funds; (b) identifying which of the potential funds meet specific criteria selected so as to minimize biases including selection bias and survivorship bias; (c) creating an index by indexing funds identified as meeting the criteria; (d) acquiring a portfolio of funds in the index; and (e) allocating capital to funds in the portfolio.

A hedge fund may been defined as a pool of private capital used to leverage an investment portfolio structured as a limited partnership. A General Partner (Investment Fund Manager) is expected to have sophisticated portfolio management practices; limited partners (investors) are generally high net-worth individuals and institutions that act as silent partners. Hedge funds often have restricted liquidity, since they cannot be traded in the open market. Moreover, hedge funds are not required to report their assets or returns to the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) or to any other entity whose information is made available to the public. And hedge fund advertising is restricted. Thus, unless a hedge fund voluntarily reports its existence and performance to some database, the public may be unable to learn of either.
In recent years the term "hedge fund" has been used broadly to refer to any type of alternative investment strategy ("AIS"). UBS Warburg Global Equity Research defines AIS as "an asset class that seeks to generate absolute positive returns by exploiting market inefficiencies while minimizing exposure and correlation to traditional stock and bond investments." See Alexander M. Ineichen CFA, In Search of Alpha—Investing in Hedge Funds, UBS Warburg Global Equity Research, October 2000, page 6 (hereinafter cited as "Alpha"). The term "hedge fund" is used herein, as in the art, interchangeably with the terms alternative investment strategy and AIS.
Investable Index Funds in Traditional Asset Classes
An index fund (also known as a passively-managed fund) seeks to match the investment performance of a specific stock or bond benchmark index. This definition of an index fund can be found, for example, at http://www.vanguard.com, hereinafter referred to as "Vanguard." The Vanguard Group is one of the world's largest index fund managers for traditional stock and bond markets. Instead of actively trading securities in an effort to beat the market, an index fund manager simply holds all, or a representative sample, of the securities in the index. In contrast, an active fund manager buys and sells securities regularly in pursuit of maximum gain.
Investors typically place money in an index fund to replicate the performance of a market. Mature, liquid marketplaces have a host of well-defined benchmarks or indices, which corresponding index funds seek to replicate. For example, the S&P 500, Russell 2000, and Wilshire 5000 all are benchmarks whose performances are mimicked by index funds. The benchmark represents the passive alternative—a portfolio that faithfully replicates asset class performance.
However, "beating the market, as described by a fair benchmark, constitutes the foremost object of an investment manager." See David F. Swensen, Pioneering Portfolio Management, The Free Press, 2000, page 300, cited hereinafter as "Swensen." And although everyone would like to outperform the market, Vanguard believes "it's more difficult than you might think . . . [because] investing is a Zero-Sum Game, mutual fund costs diminish returns, and financial markets are efficient." See Vanguard.
David Swensen, Chief Investment Officer of the Yale University endowment, echoes the problems of engaging in an active strategy:                In spite of the daunting obstacles to active management success, the overwhelming majority of market participants choose to play the loser's game. Like the residents of Lake Wobegon, who all believe their children to be above average, all investors believe their active strategies will produce superior results. The harsh reality of the negative sum game dictates that in aggregate, active managers lose to the market by the amount it costs to play, in the form of management fees, trading commissions, and dealer spread. Wall Street's share of the pie defines the amount of performance drag experienced by the would-be market beaters.Swensen, page 6.
Because of the difficulty in adding value through active management, many investors in equity and debt markets have chosen to employ passive strategies. Popularized by Vanguard and Barclays Global Investors, index funds use a statistical sampling of securities in a defined market to replicate the performance of that market.
Lack of Index Funds in Alternative Investment Strategies
Despite having years of experience purchasing stocks and bonds, institutional and high net worth investors have only recently added alternative investment strategies to their investment portfolios. In contrast to traditional stock and bond portfolios, alternative investment strategies do not have index funds that offer investors a passive alternative to actively managed portfolios. Not only is the market or benchmark difficult to define, creating an index fund to encompass a defined market has an assortment of its own difficulties. As a result, surveyors of the alternative investment arena have assumed that investable indices in alternative strategies cannot exist.
For example, Swensen believes that "investors in alternative asset classes must pursue active management since market returns do not exist in the sense of an investable passive option." Swensen even defines the term "absolute return" to impress that lack of an index: "Absolute return investments seek to generate high levels of returns, independent of market results, contrasting with the relative, benchmark-beating gains pursued by active marketable security managers." See Swensen, pages 204-05.
As another example, UBS Warburg makes the assumption that alternative investment strategies are de facto measured based on absolute performance. In comparing hedge funds to mutual funds, UBS Warburg claims "hedge funds are measured based on absolute performance, mutual funds are usually measured based on relative performance." See Alpha, page 54.
Existing Performance Benchmarks
A prerequisite for developing an index fund is the definition of the applicable performance benchmark. Currently, investors in hedge funds measure performance against an absolute return hurdle or against other alternatives (hedge fund peers). However, as explained below, neither benchmark approach can be replicated in an index fund.
The early adopters of alternative investment strategies measured active managers against an absolute hurdle—for example, an annual 8% real return. While investors would relish the certainty of investing in a known 8% real return, no vehicles exist to do so. Thus, an absolute return benchmark as high as the aspirations for this asset class cannot be turned into an index fund for passive investors.
More recently, consulting organizations such as the Hennessee Group LLC, Hedge Fund Research Inc., and Tremont Advisers, Inc. have constructed peer indices aggregating hedge fund performance from databases. While such peer indices provide a numerical benchmark, the indices suffer from measurement biases that are rampant in databases of historical hedge fund returns. As noted by William Fung and David A. Hsieh (in "Benchmarks of Hedge Fund Performance: Information Content and Biases," Research paper, Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, February 2001, cited hereinafter as "Hedge Fund Benchmarks", pages 2-4), hedge fund databases suffer from survivorship bias and selection bias.
Survivorship bias arises when a sample of hedge funds includes only funds that are operating at the end of the sampling period and thus excludes funds that have ceased operations during the period. From the universe of all hedge funds, those that ceased to exist before database vendors started data collection, ceased operations ("dead funds"), or simply exited a database, whether voluntarily or not ("defunct funds"), all cause tracking error between the peer index and the universe of hedge funds. Academics have estimated that survivorship bias in hedge fund peer indices averages 2% per annum. See Gaurav S. Amin and Harry M. Kat, "Welcome to the Dark Side: Hedge Fund Attrition and Survivorship Bias Over the Period 1994-2001," working paper, Dec. 11, 2001, page 2.
Selection bias further degrades the accuracy of peer indices. Hedge funds that enter databases typically do so to attract outside investor capital. Presumably, only those funds that have "good" performance and are looking to attract new investors want to be included in a database. Therefore, hedge funds in a database tend to have better performance records than those that are excluded. In contrast, successful "closed" hedge funds with no reason to attract outside capital may have no need to be included in databases. This effect would cause databases to understate industry performance. Both self-selection biases create errors in the historical reporting of peer indices. See, e.g., Hedge Fund Benchmarks, pages 7-9. As a result of such measurement biases, peer indices do not accurately reflect the hedge fund market.
Due to the inherent biases in existing peer indices, Fung and Hsieh come to the conclusion that "if we want to estimate the investment experience of hedge funds, why not look directly at the experience of the hedge fund investors themselves." They recommend looking at the investment records of funds-of-hedge funds (FOFs):                Survivorship bias in FOFs' returns relative to the universe of all hedge fund investors is less severe than using individual hedge funds. This is because FOFs, through the natural process of diversification, have inadvertently minimized the measurement errors that may arise. Also, the question of selection bias is much more muted in the case of FOFs due to the fact that all individual hedge funds are likely to have some FOF investors irrespective of whether they report performance to any hedge fund database . . . we would argue that using FOFs as building blocks for hedge fund performance benchmarks is a better alternative to individual funds.Hedge Fund Benchmarks, pages 10-12.
Although Fung and Hsieh reach the conclusion that funds of funds should be used as "building blocks" for hedge fund performance benchmarks, they do not disclose creating an investable index fund based on an index of funds of funds. Consequently, they also fail to disclose how such a fund might be created and managed. In fact, they implicitly assume and suggest that the fees for such a fund would make it impractical (see page 12 of Hedge Fund Benchmarks, where returns for broad-based indices (that is, indices of hedge funds) were estimated to be "roughly the same" as for FOF indices). This implies that the extra layer of fees that an index fund based on an index of funds of funds would entail would cause such an index fund to be noncompetitive.
Hedge Fund Benchmarks discloses that certain commercial databases have posted indices based on funds of funds. However, they have not managed to create a fund based on those indices, nor does Hedge Fund Benchmarks disclose a practical method of creating and managing such a fund. Implementation of a portfolio for such a fund is far from trivial, as shown below. For example, a clearly defined set of rules for the inclusion of certain funds of funds in the portfolio (e.g., size, track record, positions, concentration) is required. The indices mentioned in Hedge Fund Benchmarks simply attempt to include all of the FOFs in their database, resulting in tracking errors similar to those in hedge fund databases. Further, there is no suggestion in Hedge Fund Benchmarks that a fund based on those indices would not cost an investor in the index fund an extra layer of fees beyond the hedge fund manager fees and funds of funds manager fees.
Index Fund Attempts
A few financial services firms (notably Zurich Capital Markets and Morgan Stanley) have attempted to create an investable hedge fund index through investment in a portfolio of hedge funds. In its marketing materials, Zurich describes its methodology as follows: "The Indices' methodology begins by identifying a set of candidate hedge fund managers who are potential members of any of the Indices . . . the candidates include all managers who actively report data to public databases, as well as other manager who are non-reporters but who are identified through other means."
Creating an index fund through investment in other hedge funds has a series of theoretical and practical problems. First, the universe of all hedge funds is not known. Although commercial databases collect information on funds, some of the best and worst hedge funds do not appear in the databases (for reasons described above). Without knowledge of the characteristics of the universe of hedge funds, creating a competent statistical sample is problematic.
Second, many leading hedge funds are closed to new investors. Longstanding survivors in the business that do not accept new investment capital are outside of the universe of opportunities available to a new fund of funds. Many of these funds drive the performance that institutional investors desire when allocating capital to alternative investment strategies.
Third, investors in an index fund want immediate diversified exposure to the asset class. A new hedge fund index may have difficulty building an appropriate diversified portfolio.
Fourth, the administration of investment in hundreds of funds (the number likely required for a statistically representative sample) would be a logistical nightmare. The universe of hedge funds is very large (estimated at over 6,000 funds) and complex (one industry-leading database currently lists 25 separate strategies for hedge fund investments). Creating a rigid process to maintain an index fund is extraordinarily difficult with an ever-changing industry. Given these constraints, perhaps it is not surprising that the vehicles introduced by Zurich and Morgan Stanley have thus far failed to be embraced by outside investors.
There is thus a need for a hedge fund index based on a portfolio of funds of funds that solves the problems described above. Such an index fund would preferably: (a) mimic the experience of hedge fund investors; (b) provide immediate exposure to the entire market; (c) comprise an important component of the market; (d) be systematically replicable; and (e) provide a low-cost, passive alternative to fund-of-funds investments.
Mimicking the Experience of Hedge Fund Investors
In order to diversify across strategies, investors in hedge funds create a portfolio of multiple managers. An index fund constructed by investment in a portfolio of FOFs preferably provides an investable passive alternative capable of replicating the experience of hedge fund investors broadly.
Immediate Exposure to the Entire Market
An index fund formed by direct hedge fund investment cannot offer exposure to currently closed hedge funds. In contrast, a fund formed by investment in funds of funds is more likely to gain access to closed funds, as existing funds of funds are often clients of closed funds.
Important Component of the Market
According to UBS Warburg, funds of funds manage 20-25% of all hedge fund assets. See Alexander M. Ineichen CFA, The Search for Alpha Continues—Do Fund of Hedge Funds Managers Add Value?, UBS Warburg Global Equity Research, September 2001, page 28. While industry researchers estimate a universe of 6,000 hedge funds, the Altvest database counts only 375 funds of funds, and only 72 with over $100 million in assets.
Systematic Replication Achievable
As opposed to administering a portfolio with hundreds if not thousands of hedge funds, investment in a far smaller number of funds of funds is readily achievable and can offer the same exposure as a portfolio of direct investments in hedge funds. Fung and Hsieh note that "it takes fewer FOFs to deliver the same diversification benefit as individual hedge funds, and FOFs are likely to have a more uniform redemption policy than individual funds." Hedge Fund Benchmarks, page 10.
Low Cost Passive Alternative
One perceived problem with the creation of a portfolio of FOFs is the addition of yet another layer of fees on top of those of the hedge fund manager and the FOF manager. It would be preferable to maintain fee to investors at the same fee level as would occur if the investors placed capital in a FOF.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Method and system for creating and operating an investable hedge fund index fund

Abstract: The invention also includes software to perform the steps of the method described above. In particular, the invention includes software wherein data regarding potential funds is stored in a database according to object role modeling. A preferred database structure is described.


A gyro-sensor mounting structure in a camera having an image-stabilizing function, the camera including a first gyro sensor and a second gyro sensor for detecting rotations about two axes, respectively, which are mutually orthogonal to each other and orthogonal to an optical axis of a photographic lens, the gyro-sensor mounting structure including a sensor mounting member supporting the first and second gyro sensors; a stationary member to which the sensor mounting member is fixed, positioned inside the camera; four receiving portions the sensor mounting member or the stationary member to lie in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis and be positioned at four vertexes of an imaginary square, respectively; and two, three or four engaging members supported by the other of the sensor mounting member and the stationary member and engaged with corresponding receiving portions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having an image-stabilizing function, and in particular relates to a gyro-sensor mounting structure in a camera having an image-stabilizing function.
2. Description of the Related Art
In cameras with an image-stabilizing function (hand-shake correction function), an X-axis gyro sensor and a Y-axis gyro sensor which detect rotations (angular velocities) about an X-axis and a Y-axis to detect camera shake (hand shake) of the camera in the X-direction and the Y-direction thereof, respectively, are mounted to a gyro-sensor mounting plate. This gyro-sensor mounting plate is fixed to an internal stationary member of the camera.
In such cameras with an image-stabilizing function, when a correction lens element or an image pickup device is moved to cancel out camera shake (hand shake) in directions orthogonal to the optical axis of the correction lens element or the image pickup device, vibrations created by movements of the correction lens element or the image pickup device travel to the camera body or the lens barrel from the correction lens element or the image pickup device. In addition, in the case of SLR cameras with an image-stabilizing function, vibrations created by a rotation (swing-up movement) of a quick-return mirror installed in the camera travel to the camera body or the lens barrel from the quick-return mirror when the quick-return mirror rotates since the quick-return mirror rotates (swings up) upon a shutter release button being depressed.
The degree of vibration when the quick-return mirror rotates varies according to positions of the camera body and the lens barrel. Therefore, if vibrations transmitted to the X-axis gyro sensor and the Y-axis gyro sensor through the camera body or the lens barrel do not exert a large influence upon either the X-axis gyro sensor or the Y-axis gyro sensor, each of the X-axis gyro sensor and the Y-axis gyro sensor can detect camera shake with precision. However, if such vibrations transmitted to the X-axis gyro sensor and the Y-axis gyro sensor exert a large influence thereupon, each of the X-axis gyro sensor and the Y-axis gyro sensor cannot detect camera shake with precision.
However, since there is only one manner of mounting a gyro-sensor mounting plate, to which the X-axis gyro sensor and the Y-axis gyro sensor are mounted, to an internal mounting portion (stationary portion) of the camera body in conventional cameras having an image-stabilizing function, i.e., since the gyro-sensor mounting plate cannot be mounted to an internal mounting portion of the camera body in any other mounting manner, the X-axis gyro sensor and the Y-axis gyro sensor together with the gyro-sensor mounting plate need to be replaced by other ones mounted to another gyro-sensor mounting plate if vibrations transmitted to the X-axis gyro sensor and the Y-axis gyro sensor through the camera body or the lens barrel exert a large influence upon the X-axis gyro sensor and the Y-axis gyro sensor.
Additionally, the manner of transmission of the aforementioned vibrations to the X-axis gyro sensor and the Y-axis gyro sensor differs according to specifications of the camera (e.g., the dimensions or the material properties of a camera body to which the gyro sensors are mounted). Therefore, in the case of applying the X-axis gyro sensor and the Y-axis gyro sensor to various cameras of different specifications, it is conventionally the case that an appropriate X-axis gyro sensor and an appropriate Y-axis gyro sensor need to be selected from among various gyro sensors of different specifications for each camera, which causes an increase in the cost of production.

Gyro-sensor mounting structure in a camera having an image-stabilizing function


An unfastening device for unfastening pipe fasteners includes a base and a first clamp plate extends from a top of an end of the base. A movable member is slidably mounted to the base and movable between the two ends of the base. A second clamp plate and a third clamp plate extend from a top of the movable member. A cable unit includes a head which extends through one of two ends of the base and is stopped by an end of the movable member. A flexible cable extends through the head and has a first end fixed to the first board of the base. By pulling the second end of the flexible cable, the movable member is moved along the base and the distance between the first clamp plate and the second and third clamp plates can be adjusted.

A conventional pipe fastener 1 is shown in FIG. 1 and generally includes a slot 101 defined through a first end 103 thereof and a second end 102 of the fastener 1 extends through the slot 101 so as to fasten a hose to a connector (both not shown). When unfastening the fastener 1, a tool 2 as shown in FIG. 2 is used which is cooperated with a device 4 to separate the first and second ends 102, 103 to loosen the fastener 1. The tool 2 includes two handles pivotably connected with each other and a cable unit 3 has one end fixed to one protrusion extending from one of the two handles and the other end of the cable unit 3 is connected to the device 4 which is operated by pivoting the two handles toward each other. The device 4 can reach a deep and narrow space to unfasten the target fastener. The device 4 includes a base 401 and a movable member 402 is slidably mounted to the base 401. A fixed plate 404 extends from an end of the base 401 and a movable plate 405 extends from the movable member 402. By pulling the cable unit 3, the movable member 402 is moved relative to the base 401 so as to adjust the distance between the fixed plate 404 and the movable plate 405 to separate the first and second ends 103, 102 of the fastener 1. Nevertheless, the distance between the fixed plate 404 and the movable plate 405 is fixed when the cable unit 3 is not yet pulled, so that if the distance between the first and second ends 103, 102 of a fastener 1 is smaller than the distance between the fixed plate 404 and the movable plate 405 is fixed when the cable unit 3 is not yet pulled, the device 4 is useless. In other words, the user has to prepare a plurality of devices with different distances between the fixed plate 404 and the movable plate 405 so as to unfasten the fasteners 1 of different sizes.
The present invention intends to provide an unfastening device for unfastening fasteners that includes several pairs of clamp plates so that the device is able to deal with a wide range of distance between the two ends of fasteners.


The current invention concerns a computer-implemented method, a computer system and a computer program product for determining a position in a computer-aided design model. The model comprises a multitude of components. A list of at least two spatially extended and user-selected components is obtained. A cursor is displayed on a visualization means to indicate a position within the model. For each spatially extended component of the list, a distance indicator, indicating the smallest distance of said position to the component, is displayed via the visualization means. Upon providing position movement directions via the at least one user input device said position, said cursor location and said distance indicators are dynamically updated accordingly.

When developing a model with computer-aided design (CAD), the determination of a position relative to multiple components of the model is an often desired feature. The components may be vertices, edges, or surfaces of model objects. Relative positions may be defined via distances and/or angles. Many CAD programs offer the possibility of showing a dynamic dimension on the screen, and preferably near the cursor. This is a relative position indicator of the cursor with respect to a component. For a distance, said relative position indicator may be a line indicating the endpoints between which distance is measured, combined with a textbox comprising a numerical value of the distance. For an angle, said relative position indicator may be an arc between two spatially extending objects indicating the tangent lines and/or tangent surfaces between which the angle is measured, combined with a textbox comprising a numerical value of the angle. When hovering the cursor and thereby altering the relative position, the relative position indicator is updated. A numerical value for the relative position may be entered in the corresponding textbox, often preceded by selecting the textbox and/or rendering the textbox editable, and often subsequently followed by locking the entered numerical value. The cursor can then be moved within the model, subject to the constraint of the locked numerical value for the particular relative position.
ARES Commander 2016 from Gräbert GmbH, for example, comprises a Quick Input dynamic dimension functionality for polylines. A polyline may be drawn by defining a startpoint in the model and by moving the cursor away from the startpoint. Two relative position indicators are shown. A first relative position indicator is the distance between the startpoint and the current location of the cursor within the model. A second relative position indicator is the angle between a horizontal reference line and a line defined by the startpoint and the current location of the cursor within the model.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,729,750, 5,999,186, 6,232,985, 7,039,569, and 9,262,863 disclose concepts related to relative positioning in a CAD model.
In the state of the art, some CAD programs offer certain dynamic dimensions. These depend on the context and the command being executed. The dimensions are proposed to users (i.e. 'pushed' to users) as preprogrammed in the CAD program. For the example of the polyline discussed above, the offered relative position indicators are in relation to the startpoint: the distance of the current location of the cursor within the model to the startpoint, and the angle between a horizontal reference line through the startpoint and the line defined by the startpoint and the current location of the cursor within the model.
There remains a need in the art for the display of dynamic dimensions in relation to various and possibly a multitude of components of the CAD model in a user-friendly way, and without clogging the screen with too many relative position indicators.
CAD Video Tutorials: "AutoCAD Tutorial—Using Object Snaps Part 2", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB4q0jvOjys discloses a relative position indicator between a cursor position and a user-selected point of a CAD model.
The teachings in this latter document are however not configured for easily determining distances to a multitude of extended components. This is required, for example, to draw an N-dimensional sphere with N≥2 tangent to each component of N extended components.
The present invention aims to resolve at least some of the problems mentioned above.

User-selected dynamic dimensions in computer-aided design


A film for use in a packaging structure, comprising a coating on the film surface which comprises a binder and a particulate protuberant component able to remove a volatile organic compound from an environment in contact with the film in the packaging structure. Also provided is a packaging structure comprising such a film and a package which comprises the packaging structure.

Modification of the environment within packaging can be very important and can be achieved in a number of ways. Such modification is particularly important when the packaging contains organic matter, such as food products. Organic matter can emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as ethylene or trimethylamine, which can have an effect on the quality of the organic matter itself.
The removal of VOCs from the packaging environment helps to prolong the shelf life and enhance the marketable quality of the organic matter, such as fresh produce and horticultural products, as well as the quality of the matter over time. It can also help to reduce or eliminate unwanted odours and to maintain the colour and/or the firmness of the organic matter.
Ethylene acts as a ripening hormone, which can lead to over-ripening of the organic matter in the packaging and thereby reduce its quality, as well as causing yellowing and peel damage. Ethylene is also produced by organic matter as a result of stress and so its removal helps to mitigate the effects of stress on the organic matter. There are currently a number of ways to remove ethylene from a packaging environment, such as ventilation, chemical techniques, adsorption, photocatalytic methods, chemically catalytic methods and scavenging.
One approach is to inhibit the action of ethylene in the organic matter itself, which can in turn reduce the amount of ethylene released by the produce into the packaging. Such ethylene blocking techniques include 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), which blocks ethylene binding sites and is applied exogenously as a gas, as well as silver thiosulfate (STS), which is largely restricted in use to cut flowers and is applied by putting the cut flower stems in a solution containing the STS.
Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) is another ethylene blocking agent, which acts as a plant growth regulator by blocking the production of ethylene in the plant tissue. It is generally sprayed onto the organic matter, usually 1 to 3 weeks prior to harvesting. However, this approach can result in more permanent effects in preventing ripening.
Alternatively, ethylene or other VOCs can be removed from the environment once they have been released. Catalytic systems, often based on platinum and/or alumina are well known in the art to oxidise ethylene to carbon dioxide and water. However, these generally work at elevated temperatures (often above 200° C.) and so are not particularly useful with matter that can be damaged at such temperatures. There are also reports of the use of photocatalytic oxidation of ethylene using titanium dioxide, which can occur at room temperature.
Also known in the art are stoichiometric oxidising agents, which are mostly based on potassium permanganate (KMnO4), which again oxidise ethylene and are themselves reduced. However, this process can also lead to the production of partially oxidised species, such as carboxylic acids, acetaldehyde and formaldehyde. Such systems also do not work well under high humidity and so are generally kept out of contact with water in some way.
Sorbents are also known in the art to remove VOCs, particularly ethylene, from the environment. These compounds work by sorption of the VOCs and are often based on high surface area materials. Sorbents commonly used to remove ethylene include activated carbon, clays and zeolites.
Zeolites are particularly well known as sorbents for removing ethylene from the environment and suitable zeolite compositions are disclosed in GB2252968, WO2007/052074 and WO2011/001186. However, they are also poisoned by water and so means for preventing or at least hindering the zeolite from coming into contact with water is required when these compounds are used commercially.
Zeolites are commonly used in prior art packaging in the form of a separate structure that is inserted inside the packaging during manufacture. The structure comprises a substrate, such as a film (biaxially orientated polypropylene is commonly used) which forms a filter generally about 1.75 square inch (about 20 cm2) in area. A membrane (such as a porous membrane, like Tyvek™) is then applied so that water cannot come into direct contact with the zeolite. The zeolite is coated on the membrane and the substrate is subsequently applied. The finished filter is then placed next to or in proximity with the organic matter, inside the packaging. Additionally, sheets of a similar structure can be used as transit liners or bags, or the structure can be incorporated into a bubble wrap layer or a moisture absorbent pad, or laminated to further structures.
Incorporation of the components discussed above directly into films or coating layers is also known in the art, as disclosed in EP1525802, WO2008/110020, JPH02119938 and JPH02222725. However, the components are used in small amounts and are embedded within a layer of binder material that is permeable to the relevant VOC. This ensures that the component is protected from moisture and other factors that may reduce its efficiency, while still being able to remove the VOC from the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,630 discloses a controlled permeability film including a film forming polymer and optionally also a dispersing polymer and an inert porous filler, which may have a surface modifying agent coated thereon. The inert porous filler is present in an amount effective to reduce the ratio of the carbon dioxide permeability to the oxygen permeability of the film and the filler has a particle size greater than the intrinsic film thickness of the film forming polymer.
US2005/0147772 discloses a packaging material comprising two layers delimiting between them a cavity. A substance capable of retaining gas therein is housed in the cavity and one of the layers is permeable to gaseous ethylene and impermeable to water vapour.
US2002/0090425 discloses containers including a gas-permeable membrane comprising (1) a microporous film and (2) a polymeric coating on the microporous film. The containers enable storage and/or ripening of bananas under controlled conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,145 discloses a film for keeping vegetables and fruit fresh, which has an ethylene-adsorptive activity. The film preferably contains a fine-porous material.
EP2060392 discloses an at least two-layer polyester film comprising at least one antimicrobially modified outer layer comprising a silver-loaded zeolite, wherein the layer thickness is not greater than 1.3 times the median particle size of the zeolite.
JPS63309137 discloses a synthetic polymer film layer containing 1 to 30 wt. % crystalline zeolite, which has >=3.2 Angstrom pore diameter and <=20 mum particle diameter and can be used as a sheet, bag or lining for corrugated board boxes.
The present invention has been devised with the foregoing in mind.

FOOD FRESHNESS TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LIMITED


A voltage converting controller is applied to a switching voltage converting circuit, in which the voltage converting controller periodically operates a high-side power switch and a low-side power switch in the switching voltage converting circuit with a high-side control signal and a low-side control signal, respectively, so as to convert an input voltage into an output voltage via an inductor. Defining an ideal duty cycle as the rating value of the output voltage divided by the value of the input voltage, when the ideal duty cycle is less than one threshold duty cycle, then the period of the high-side control signal is a constant; and when the ideal duty cycle is greater than the threshold duty cycle, the period of the high-side control signal and the period of the ideal duty cycle are positively correlated.

1. Technical Field
The this disclosure relates to a voltage converting controller and a method of the voltage converting control, particularly to a voltage converting controller and a method of the voltage converting control applied to the constant turn-on time control mode and make the duty cycle of the switch control signal not limited by the minimal off-time.
2. Related Art
The switching voltage converting circuit is one of various the voltage converting circuits. In a switching voltage converting circuit, the power switch is used to modulate the energy stored in an inductive component to supply to the output load, and an input voltage is converted into an output voltage at an output terminal to maintain the fixed output voltage value, and the switching voltage converting circuit provides the output load the required load current. The advantage of the switching voltage converting circuit is that the high conversion efficiency is achieved, thus it can reduce unnecessary heat generation and furthermore reduce the complexity of the heat dissipation design.
FIG. 1 shows a voltage converting controller 100 of the constant-turn-on time control mode in the art. The voltage converting controller 100 is applied to the switching voltage converting circuit 10. The switching voltage converting circuit 10 turns on the high-side power switch 11 and the low-side power switch 12 in a non-overlapping way, respectively; and the switching voltage converting circuit 10 converts the input voltage 14 into an output voltage 15 via the inductor 13 and provides the required load current. The voltage converting controller 100 receives the output voltage 15 or the voltage division of the output voltage 15 via a comparator 110, and compares the received voltage with a reference voltage 120. When the output voltage 15 or the voltage division of the output voltage 15 is less than the reference voltage 120, the comparator 110 sends out a comparison signal to trigger a single-shot circuit 130 to generate a signal of fixed pulse width. And during the period of the foregoing fixed pulse width the driving circuit 140 is used to control the channel of the high-side power switch 11 to be turned on, such that the input voltage 14 supplies the current to the output voltage 15 via the inductor 13. After the end of the foregoing fixed pulse width, the driving circuit 140 controls the channel of the low-side power switch 12 to be turned on.
FIG. 2 is the control time sequence diagram of the switch voltage converting circuit 10 in the steady-state normal operation. The waveform 210 represents the output voltage 15 or its voltage division that the comparator 110 receives. The waveform 220 represents the reference voltage 120. The waveform 230 represents the output signal of the comparator 110. The waveform 240 represents the control signal of the high-side power switch 11. The waveform 250 represents the control signal of the low-side power switch 12. Before the time t1, the channel of the high-side power switch 11 is cut off, while the channel of the low-side power switch 12 is turned on, thus the waveform 210 shows the output voltage 15 or its voltage division decreasing. At the time t1, the voltage value of the waveform 210 starts to be less than the reference voltage 220. Hence, the comparator 110 responds to output the comparison signal, i.e., as described in the waveform 230, and triggers the single-shot circuit 130, thus the driving circuit 140 controls the channel of the high-side power switch 11 to be turned on and the channel of the low-side power switch 12 to be cut off, i.e., as shown in the waveform 240 and the waveform 250. Then the output voltage 15 begins to rise, that is, as shown in the waveform 210. It is noted that in a common comparator 110 applied to the voltage converting controller 100 has the characteristics of the hysteresis. Namely the input comparison level of the comparator 110 determines its output signal, so as to make the output results of the comparator more stable and reduce the unnecessary output jitter noise. This is art for a person having ordinary skill in the art, the details will not be discussed hereinafter.
Furthermore, when the output voltage 15 rises, up to the time t2, the comparator 110 based on its design in the hysteresis region recovers the output signal of the comparator 110. At the time t3, the fixed pulse width of the single-shot circuit 130 is ended, and the driving circuit 140 controls the channel of the high-side power switch 11 to be cut off and the channel of the low-side power switch 12 to be turned on, the output voltage of 15 begins to decline. Until the time t4, the voltage value of the waveform 210 starts again to be less than the reference voltage 220, and therefore it repeats the actions at the time t1.
The advantage of the constant-turn-on time control mode is that the operating clock frequency of the circuit and the load current are a positive correlation. When the load current is light load, the operating clock frequency is lower, reducing the switching loss, thus enhancing the power conversion efficiency. In addition, even if it is designed to be the fixed frequency operation, such as the design that will be described hereinafter, the circuit components of the constant-turn-on time control mode is also relatively simple with larger bandwidth of the loop circuits, which is beneficial for the fast transient responses.
However, when the channel of the high-side power switch 11 is cut off and the channel of the low-side power switch 12 is turned on, at this time due to the transient changes in the current loop it will transmit greater noise interference. The control signal of the power switches are easily influenced, hence, it may cause the control signal to be affected and turned on again shortly after the channel of the high-side power switch 11 starts to be cut off. To avoid this kind of mistaken action, usually the control signal of the high-side power switch 11 has the limitation of the so-called minimal off-time, in order to filter out the transient interference. However, the constant channel turn-on time of the high-side power switch 11, and the limitation of the minimal off-time result in that the duty cycle of the control signal of the high-side power switch 11 has its upper limit, so that within the specification of a rating output voltage 15 the input voltage 14 of the switch voltage converting circuit 10 has the limitation of a minimum value. This restriction is not good for the applications of the use of the batteries to supply the electricity, because the battery voltage lowers down obviously with the process of the electricity supply.
FIG. 3 is another voltage converting controller 300 of the constant-turn-on time control mode in the art. The voltage converting controller 300 is applied to the switch voltage converting circuit 30. The difference between the voltage converting controller 300 and the voltage converting controller 100 as shown in FIG. 1 lies in that between the single-shot circuit 130 and the driving circuit 140, an OR gate 320 is added and the input of the OR gate 320 is connected to the output terminal of the single-shot circuit 130 and the inversion output (provided by the NOT gate 310) of the comparator 110, respectively. The switch voltage converting circuit 30 can break through the upper limitation of the duty cycle of the control signal of the foregoing high-side power switch 11.
FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are the control time sequence diagrams of the switch voltage converting circuit 30 in the conditions of steady-state normal operation. In the diagrams, the waveforms 410 and 430 represent the received output voltage 15 or its voltage division value of the comparator 110. The waveforms 420 and 440 represent the reference voltage 120. As described in FIG. 4A, when the duty cycle of the control signal of the high-side power switch 11 does not exceed the limitation of its upper limit, the operation of the switch voltage converting circuit 30 is just the same as the switch voltage converting circuit 10. However, when the duty cycle of the control signal of the high-side power switch 11 exceeds the limitation of its upper limit, due to the output voltage 15 or its voltage division value still not being able to be greater than the reference voltage 120 at the end of the fixed pulse width of the single-shot circuit 130, thus the output of the OR gate 320 is determined by the inversion output of the comparator 110 until the output voltage 15 or its voltage division value greater than the reference voltage 120. The output of the OR gate 320 just shifts the state, so that the driving circuit 140 controls the channel of the low-side power switch 12 to be turned on and maintains a span of the "minimum off-time". However, from FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B we know that in both cases, the value of the output voltage 15 still has a larger gap.

Voltage converting controller and method of voltage converting control


Article specifying information for specifying articles collected in an article collection site is detected from an image captured by an imaging unit (101). When the article specifying information is detected, a position of the article in the article collection site are determined from the position of the article specifying information in the captured image, and article information in which the detected article specifying information is correlated with position information indicating the determined position of the articles is stored. The position information of a pickup target article corresponding to the article specifying information of the pickup target article is acquired with reference to the article information. A laser beam output unit (108) presents the position of the pickup target article to a pickup operator so as to recognize the presented position by irradiating the position of the pickup target article with a laser beam on the basis of the acquired position information.

Conventionally, when an article to be picked up is found out in a site such as a warehouse in which plural articles are stored, an operator visually detects product names, product codes, or the like attached to articles. At this time, the operator performs a pickup operation with a memo, on which product names, product codes, and the like of articles to be picked up are written, in hand while looking at the memo. However, the method of performing a pickup operation while looking at the memo has problems in that the memo is erroneously read, the memo in hand hinders the pickup operation, and the like.
There is a method of checking whether an article is to be picked up while reading barcodes attached to articles with a barcode reader can be considered, but the operation of reading barcodes of articles with the barcode reader is troublesome and requires a lot of time.
To address the above problems, a speech picking system of transmitting product codes of articles to be picked up and the like to an operator by speech is known (for example, see PLT 1). According to the speech picking system, an operator can perform a pickup operation while listening to product codes and the like from a speaker of a headset mounted on the operator's head. Accordingly, since hands are free, the pickup operation can be facilitated and mistakes such as erroneous reading of product codes of articles can be reduced.