The present invention relates to a process for animal, preferably human, diploid anchorage-dependent cell culture, in the absence of exogenous components of primary animal origin, and to a cell culture medium substantially free of exogenous components of primary animal origin suitable for carrying out said process. In particular the invention concerns a cell culture medium which comprises at least one, more preferably several, exogenous animal-free growth factors. The present invention also relates to a process for cultivating animal, preferably human diploid anchorage-dependent cells in a medium according to the invention, involving the use of a trypsin substitute of non-animal origin for passaging cells. The invention further relates to a process for producing viruses, viral vaccines and the like.

Anchorage-dependent cells, especially diploid anchorage-dependent cells are used in a wide range of processes: for the production of health care products such as vaccines and recombinant proteins in large-scale bioprocesses, for the generation of artificial tissues used in the treatment of human injuries, for experimental investigations, for in vitro toxicology, for screening and testing of new drugs, etc.
Conventionally, anchorage-dependent cells are cultured in media containing serum or other animal-origin components as substitutes for the serum, such as bovine serum albumin (BSA) or protein hydrolysates. Serum or animal-origin components are also used during cell subcultivation and in cell cryopreservation. Serum is a major source for metabolites, hormones, vitamins, iron (transferrin), transport proteins, attachment factors (e.g. fibronectin), spreading and growth factors. It is required for the growth of many animal cells culture in vitro. In addition, serum acts as buffer against a variety of perturbation and toxic effects such as pH change, presence of heavy metal ions, proteolytic activity, or endotoxins. Albumin is the major protein component of serum and exerts several effects which contribute to the growth and maintenance of cells in culture: it acts as a carrier protein for a range of small molecules and as a transporter for fatty acids which are essential for cells but are toxic in the unbound form.
Diploid anchorage-dependent cells are routinely grown on plastic surface, glass surface or microcarriers. The cells attach and spread out by attachment factors such as fibronectin (F. Grinnel & M. K. Feld Cell, 1979, 17, 117-129). Trypsin is one of the most common animal-derived component used for cell detachment during cell passaging (M. Schröder & P. Friedl, Methods in Cell Science, 1997, 19, 137-147; O. W. Mertens, Dev Biol Stand., 1999, Vol 99, pp 167-180). It must be inhibited by serum or soybean trypsin inhibitor after cell detachment in order to avoid cell damages. After detachment, cells are seeded at low density on a new surface where they can multiply and form a confluent cell layer before the next subcultivation. The purpose of passaging adherent cells is to multiply and obtain a sufficient amount of cells to carry out the aforementioned processes.
There are various disadvantages linked to the use of serum and of animal-derived components in these processes, mainly their cost, the batch to batch variability in their composition, their association with a higher contamination risk by adventitious agents, and the subsequent difficulties encountered in downstream processing (e.g. purification to get rid of the serum-proteins or of the introduced animal-derived proteins). Furthermore, as said above, it is reported that serum-free media are not suitable for anchorage dependent diploïd cells (O. W. Mertens, Dev Biol Stand., 1999, Vol 99, pp 167-180; O. W. Merten, Dev. Biol. 2002, 101,233-257).
A number of low-serum or serum-free medium formulations have been developed for anchorage-dependent cell culture, in particular for diploid anchorage-dependent cell culture (M. Kan & I. Yamane, Journal of Cellular Physiology, 1982, 111, 155-162; S. P. Forestell et al. Biotechnology and Bioenineering, 1992, Vol 40, pp 1039-1044). Attempts made with such media have not been satisfactory, mainly because diploid anchorage-dependent cell, which are not transformed, would need rather complex serum-free media supplemented with several growth factors and hormones, and also because production processes generally for such cells make use of serum at least during the biomass production phase (O. W. Merten, Dev. Biol. 2002, 101, 233-257). Furthermore, these media still contain components of animal origin, like BSA, protein hydrolysates, growth factors, transport proteins, amino acids, vitamins, etc. Very few attempts have been made to develop media formulations for anchorage-dependent cells which are totally free of components of animal origin. Formulations which are mostly animal-free are reported not to be able to sustain a cell growth rate equivalent to what is observed with serum and to only allow a few subcultivation steps before an early senescence is observed (B. J. Walthall & R. Ham Experimental Cell Research (1981) 134 303-311). Furthermore, primary cell cultures from anchorage-dependent cells almost always involve disaggregation of cell layers or tissue using a protease, mainly a serine-protease, of animal origin, thereby involving a risk of contaminating the cell culture with adventitious virus and causing unacceptable variability in cell growth due to batch to batch variation in the enzymatic activity of the protease. For example, the use of porcine/bovine trypsin in passaging anchorage-dependent cell cultures is a well-known technique (O. W. Mertens, Cytotechnology, 2000, 34, 181-183).
There exists a need therefore, in the field of diploid anchorage-dependent cell culture, to develop a cell culture medium which is substantially free from, preferably totally devoid of, animal-derived components, and is suitable for carrying a process for diploid anchorage-dependent cell culture with equivalent performances to that of a basal medium for the cell type supplemented with an appropriate serum, in terms of, for example, cell growth rate, senescence, cell morphology, viral or protein production, to these obtained with serum-containing processes.

Cell culture in culture media free of components of animal origin


Method and apparatus for implementing a circuit design for an integrated circuit is described. In one example, a first version of the circuit design is processed (408) with at least one design tool. Statistical data is captured (410) for the at least one design tool and operational attributes thereof are automatically adjusted (420) in response to the statistical data. A second version of the circuit design is processed (422) with the at least one design tool having the adjusted operational attributes. In another example, the circuit design is processed (506) with at least one design tool in a first iteration. Statistical data is captured (508) for the at least one design tool and operational attributes thereof are automatically adjusted (514) for a second iteration in response to the statistical data of the first iteration. The circuit design is re-processed (516) with the at least one design tool having the adjusted operational attributes in the second iteration.

Programmable logic devices (PLDs) exist as a well-known type of integrated circuit (IC) that may be programmed by a user to perform specified logic functions. There are different types of programmable logic devices, such as programmable logic arrays (PLAs) and complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs). One type of programmable logic device, known as a field programmable gate array (FPGA), is very popular because of a superior combination of capacity, flexibility, time-to-market, and cost.
An FPGA typically includes an array of configurable logic blocks (CLBs) surrounded by a ring of programmable input/output blocks (IOBs). The CLBs and IOBs are interconnected by a programmable interconnect structure. The CLBs, IOBs, and interconnect structure are typically programmed by loading a stream of configuration data (known as a bitstream) into internal configuration memory cells that define how the CLBs, IOBs, and interconnect structure are configured. An FPGA may also include various dedicated logic circuits, such as memories, microprocessors, digital clock managers (DCMs), and input/output (I/O) transceivers.
To implement a circuit design using an FPGA, the design is synthesized to produce a logical representation, which is then mapped onto programmable logic blocks, placed within the FPGA, and routed using the programmable fabric. The place and route phases of implementing a circuit design involve generating a layout of the circuit elements on the FPGA and defining the signal lines (routing resources) that connect the elements.
Presently, the design tools used to implement a circuit design perform their tasks on the user's design without regard to the specifics of the design or to the execution history of the design tools. For example, if a place-and-route tool processes a design to produce a result, all subsequent executions by the place-and-route tool for the same design will produce the same result both in terms of the quality of the result, as well as the execution time taken to achieve the result. Typically, in a design cycle a user will execute the implementation tools several times on different versions of the design. Each successive version may only be slightly different. However, the implementation tools deal with these versions as if they were completely independent and distinct designs despite the fact that these versions may only be slightly different. As such, the results and run-time of the implementation tools of a slightly different version do not leverage the results of the previous version and, therefore, may not show any significant improvement in the quality of results or execution time from version to version.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a method and apparatus for implementing a circuit design for an integrated circuit that takes less time to run while providing improved results.


A non-reciprocal circuit device comprising a first inductance element disposed between a first input/output port and a second input/output port; a second inductance element disposed between the second input/output port and the ground; a first capacitance element constituting a first parallel resonance circuit with the first inductance element; a resistance element parallel-connected to the first parallel resonance circuit; a third inductance element series-connected between the second inductance element and the ground; and a second capacitance element constituting a second parallel resonance circuit with the second and third inductance elements.

Non-reciprocal circuit devices such as isolators are used in mobile communications equipments utilizing frequencies from several hundreds MHz to ten-odds GHz, such as base stations and terminals of cell phones, etc. Isolators disposed between power amplifiers and antennas in mobile communications equipments are required to have excellent insertion loss characteristics, reflection loss characteristics and isolation characteristics to prevent unnecessary signals from returning to power amplifiers at the time of transmission, and to stabilize the impedance of power amplifiers on the load side.
As such a non-reciprocal circuit device, an isolator shown in FIG. 18 is conventionally well known. This isolator comprises three central conductors 21, 22, 23 crossing at an angle of 120° with electric insulation on one main surface of a ferrimagnetic microwave ferrite 30. Each central conductor 21, 22, 23 has one end connected to the ground and the other end connected to a matching capacitor C1-C3. A terminal resistor Rt is connected to a port (for instance, P3) of one of the central conductors 21, 22, 23. A DC magnetic field Hdc is applied from a permanent magnet (not shown) to the ferrite 30 axially. This isolator functions such that high-frequency signals input from a port P1 are transmitted to a port P2, while reflected waves entering a port 2 are prevented from being transmitted to a port P1 by absorption by the terminal resistor Rt, so that unnecessary reflected waves generated by the impedance variation of an antenna are prevented from entering a power amplifier, etc.
Recently much attention has been paid to an isolator constituted by a different equivalent circuit from those of conventional three-terminal isolators, which has excellent insertion loss characteristics and reflection characteristics. For instance, the isolator described in JP 2004-88743 A is called "two-terminal isolator," which has two central conductors. FIG. 19 shows the equivalent circuit of its basic structure. This two-terminal isolator comprises a first central conductor (first inductance element) L1 electrically connected between a first input/output port P1 and a second input/output port P2; a second central conductor (second inductance element) L2 crossing the first central conductor L1 with electric insulation and electrically connected between the second input/output port P2 and the ground; a first capacitance element C1 electrically connected between the first input/output port P1 and the second input/output port P2 to constitute a first parallel resonance circuit with the first central conductor L1; a resistance element R; and a second capacitance element C2 electrically connected between the second input/output port P2 and the ground to constitute a second parallel resonance circuit with the second central conductor L2.
The first parallel resonance circuit sets a frequency at which the isolation (reverse attenuation characteristics) is the maximum, and the second parallel resonance circuit sets a frequency at which the insertion loss is the minimum. When high-frequency signals are transmitted from the first input/output port P1 to the second input/output port P2, resonance does not occur in the first parallel resonance circuit between the first input/output port P1 and the second input/output port P2, but the second parallel resonance circuit is resonated, resulting in small transmission loss (excellent insertion loss characteristics). Current reversely flowing from the second input/output port P2 to the first input/output port P1 is absorbed by the resistance element R connected between the first input/output port P1 and the second input/output port P2.
FIG. 20 shows a specific example of the structure of a two-terminal isolator. This two-terminal isolator 1 comprises metal cases (upper case 4 and lower case 8) made of a ferromagnetic material such as soft iron to constitute a magnetic circuit, a permanent magnet 9, a central conductor assembly 30 comprising a microwave ferrite 20 and central conductors 21, 22, and a laminate substrate 50 on which the central conductor assembly 30 is mounted.
The upper yoke 4 for containing the permanent magnet 9 is substantially in a box shape having an upper surface 4a and four side surfaces 4b. The lower yoke 8 has a bottom surface 8a and a pair of side surfaces 8b. Each surface of the upper and lower yokes 4, 8 is properly plated with a conductive metal such as Ag, Cu, etc.
The central conductor assembly 30 comprises a disc-shaped microwave ferrite 20, and first and second central conductors 21, 22 perpendicularly crossing on an upper surface of the microwave ferrite 20 via an insulating layer (not shown), such that the first and second central conductors 21, 22 are electromagnetically coupled to each other at an intersection. Each of the first and second central conductors 21, 22 is constituted by two lines, and both end portions thereof are separated from each other and extend under the microwave ferrite 20.
FIG. 21 is an exploded view of the laminate substrate 50. The laminate substrate 50 is constituted by a dielectric sheet 41 having connecting electrodes 51-54 connected to ends of the central conductors 21 and provided with capacitor electrodes 55, 56 and a resistor 27 on the rear surface, a dielectric sheet 42 provided with a capacitor electrode 57 on the rear surface, a dielectric sheet 43 provided with a ground electrode 58 on the rear surface, a dielectric sheet 45 provided with an external input electrode 14, an external output electrode 14 and external ground electrodes 16, etc.
The central-conductor-connecting electrode 51 corresponds to the first input/output port P1 in the above equivalent circuit, and the central-conductor-connecting electrodes 53, 54 correspond to the second input/output port P2. One end of the first central conductor 21 is electrically connected to the external input electrode 14 via the first input/output port P1 (central-conductor-connecting electrode 51). The other end of the first central conductor 21 is electrically connected to the external output electrode 14 via the second input/output port P2 (central-conductor-connecting electrode 54). One end of the second central conductor 22 is electrically connected to the external output electrode 14 via the second input/output port P2 (central-conductor-connecting electrode 53). The other end of the second central conductor 22 is electrically connected to the external ground electrode 16. The first capacitance element C1 is electrically connected between the first input/output port P1 and the second input/output port P2 to constitute a first parallel resonance circuit with the first central conductor L1. The second capacitance element C2 is electrically connected between the second input/output port P2 and the ground to constitute a second parallel resonance circuit with the second central conductor L2.
To provide multi-functional, lightweight cell phones, the miniaturization of their parts is strongly demanded. As non-reciprocal circuit devices are demanded to be as small as about 2.5 mm×2.5 mm×1.0 mm, the microwave ferrite 20, for instance, is also demanded to be as small as having an overall size of about 1.0 mm×1.0 mm×0.15 mm. However, the miniaturization of the microwave ferrite 20 invites decrease in the inductance of inductors constituted by central conductors.
If the microwave ferrite 20 were made small like this, practically useful characteristics cannot be obtained in the three-terminal, non-reciprocal circuit device shown in FIG. 18. Although the two-terminal isolator described in JP 2004-88743 A, which is shown in FIG. 19, has better electric characteristics than those of the three-terminal non-reciprocal circuit device, its insertion loss exceeds 1 dB in the passband, unsatisfactory for practical applications.
To obtain a non-reciprocal circuit device having excellent electric characteristics, various factors generated in the products, such as parasitic inductance, floating capacitance, etc. should be taken into consideration. Even if the above two-terminal isolator were ideally designed, parasitic inductance, floating capacitance, etc. would occur in the first and second parallel resonance circuits for structural reasons in its operation, resulting in impedance deviated from the designed level. To avoid the deterioration of insertion loss characteristics and isolation characteristics due to impedance mismatching with other connected circuits, it is necessary to find optimum values through repeated test production, taking a long period of time for the development of products.
Because the first and second central conductors 21, 22 are coupled to each other, the inductance also changes therewith. Even if the width, intervals, etc. of lines constituting them were changed taking unnecessary reactance components into consideration, it is difficult to separately adjust the input impedance of the first and second input/output ports P1, P2, failing to find optimum conditions of matching with external circuits. Particularly the deviation of the input impedance of the first input/output port P1 is undesirable because it causes increase in the insertion loss.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A position detecting device comprises a movable member, a first electrode movable with the movement of the movable member, and a second electrode disposed at a location opposed to the first electrode. The edge of at least one of the first and second electrodes are inclined with respect to the direction of movement of the first electrode, whereby the area over which the first electrode and the second electrode overlap each other is varied by the relative movement of the two electrodes and an electrostatic capacity provided by the two electrodes is also varied to make the detection of the absolute position of the movable member possible and to change a position detection accuracy in accordance with a position of the first electrode.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for detecting the position of a movable member on the basis of a variation in electrostatic capacity resulting from the relative movement of electrodes.
2. Related Background Art
A lens barrel mounted on a camera or the like is provided with a movable barrel holding a lens unit therein and moved in the direction of the optical axis relative to a fixed barrel for magnification change, focusing, etc., and recently the control of a lens system using the position data of said movable barrel (i.e., the position data of the lens unit) has been done. Therefore, various systems for exactly knowing the position of this movable barrel have been proposed, and among them, as an apparatus which is compact and which enables position detection by non-contact between the fixed barrel and the movable barrel, there is known one as shown, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 62-262009 wherein paying attention to the fact that electrodes are provided on the fixed barrel and the movable barrel, respectively, in opposed relationship with each other and in non-contact with each other to form a variable capacitor and the electrostatic capacity of this capacitor is varied by the fixed barrel and the movable barrel being moved relative to each other, the position of the movable barrel relative to the fixed barrel, i.e., the position of the lens, is detected from the electrostatic capacity on each occasion.
In the apparatus of the above-described construction, however, the position of the movable barrel (lens) relative to the fixed barrel has been known only from the information of the relative position, and a complicated circuit construction for knowing the absolute position of the movable barrel has been required. Further, of the pair of electrodes forming the variable capacitor, for example, the electrode on the fixed barrel side need be as long as the total amount of movement, and this has hampered the compactness of the device.
Also, in a position detecting device, particularly a lens barrel, when a fixed barrel (a lens) is moved in a fixed barrel in the direction of the optical axis, the imaging magnification of the lens is generally varied by the movement of the lens and sensitivity varies depending on the respective positions of the lens and thus, there are required different position detection accuracies depending on the position of the movable barrel, but the above-described prior-art device is of a construction in which the relation between the position of the movable barrel relative to the fixed barrel and the electrostatic capacity of the variable capacitor is always linear as shown in FIG. 10 of the accompanying drawings. This has led to the problem that there cannot be obtained an accurate position detection accuracy conforming to the position of the movable barrel.


A method and apparatus for supporting an early data transmission (EDT) in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state is provided. The current gNB receives a resume request message including uplink (UL) data from the wireless device, and transmits a logical channel identifier (LCID) for the UL data to the last serving gNB. The last serving gNB transmits UL forwarding user plane (UP) transport network layer (TNL) information to the current gNB based on mapping between the LCID for the UL data and data radio bearer (DRB) ID or protocol data unit (PDU) session ID in a UE context stored in the last serving gNB. The current gNB forwards the UL data to a core network via the last serving gNB based on the UL forwarding UP TNL information.

3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) long-term evolution (LTE) is a technology for enabling high-speed packet communications. Many schemes have been proposed for the LTE objective including those that aim to reduce user and provider costs, improve service quality, and expand and improve coverage and system capacity. The 3GPP LTE requires reduced cost per bit, increased service availability, flexible use of a frequency band, a simple structure, an open interface, and adequate power consumption of a terminal as an upper-level requirement.
Work has started in international telecommunication union (ITU) and 3GPP to develop requirements and specifications for new radio (NR) systems. 3GPP has to identify and develop the technology components needed for successfully standardizing the new RAT timely satisfying both the urgent market needs, and the more long-term requirements set forth by the ITU radio communication sector (ITU-R) international mobile telecommunications (IMT)-2020 process. Further, the NR should be able to use any spectrum band ranging at least up to 100 GHz that may be made available for wireless communications even in a more distant future.
The NR targets a single technical framework addressing all usage scenarios, requirements and deployment scenarios including enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), massive machine-type-communications (mMTC), ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC), etc. The NR shall be inherently forward compatible.
Radio resource control (RRC) inactive state is a new state added in 5G NR compare to LTE. Motivation to use this state seems to reduce the time to bring user equipment (UE) in connected state from other states. This will increase UE battery life and latency as well because of less signaling involved. Both UE and gNB stores access stratum (AS) context in RRC inactive state and bringing to RRC connected state from RRC inactive state would not involve NAS level signaling.

Method and apparatus for supporting early data transmission in inactive state in wireless communication system


A system comprising a well drilled into an underground formation comprising hydrocarbons; a production facility at a topside of the well; a water production facility connected to the production facility; wherein the water production facility produces water by removing some multivalent ions, then removing some monovalent ions, and then adding back some monovalent ions, and then injects the water into the well.

Oil accumulated within a subterranean oil-bearing formation is recovered or produced therefrom through wells, called production wells, drilled into the subterranean formation. A large amount of such oil may be left in the subterranean formations if produced only by primary depletion, i.e., where only formation energy is used to recover the oil. Where the initial formation energy is inadequate or has become depleted, supplemental operations, often referred to as secondary, tertiary, enhanced or post-primary recovery operations, may be employed. In some of these operations, a fluid is injected into the formation by pumping it through one or more injection wells drilled into the formation, oil is displaced within and is moved through the formation, and is produced from one or more production wells drilled into the formation. In a particular recovery operation of this sort, seawater, field water or field brine may be employed as the injection fluid and the operation is referred to as a waterflood. The injection water may be referred to as flooding liquid or flooding water as distinguished from the in situ formation, or connate water. Fluids injected later can be referred to as driving fluids. Although water is the most common, injection and drive fluids can include gaseous fluids such as air, steam, carbon dioxide, and the like.
Water may be injected by itself, or as a component of miscible or immiscible displacement fluids. Sea water (for offshore wells) and brine produced from the same or nearby formations and water from rivers and lakes (for onshore wells) may be most commonly used as the water source.
GB Patent Specification Number 1,520,877, filed Oct. 14, 1974, discloses that secondary recovery of oil from a permeable stratum is effected using as a drive fluid water whose ionic compositions and/or ionic concentration has been adjusted in a reverse osmosis desalination plant so that the water is compatible with the stratum and the connate water associated therewith. Seawater is treated by the reverse osmosis desalination plant to remove a major proportion of the divalent or higher valency ions and to have its ionic concentration adjusted either by mixing the filtrate and concentrate in predetermined proportions or by recycling the concentrate from each cycle at a higher feed pressure. Particles having a diameter of at least 1 micron may initially be removed by ultrafiltration apparatus.
U.S. Patent Application 2003/0230535 discloses a method and well for desalinating saline aquifer water, wherein saline aquifer water flows from a subsurface aquifer layer directly into a downhole aquifer inflow region of a desalinated water production well in which a downhole assembly of one or more desalination and/or purification membranes is arranged, which separate the saline aquifer water into a primary desalinated water stream which is produced through the well to surface and a secondary concentrated brine reject stream, which can be disposed into a subsurface brine disposal zone.
Co-pending published PCT patent application WO 2007/112254, having attorney docket number TH2869 discloses a system comprising a well drilled into an underground formation; a production facility at a topside of the well; a water production facility connected to the production facility; wherein the water production facility produces water by removing some ions and adding an agent which increases the viscosity of the water and/or increases a hydrocarbon recovery from the formation, and injects the water into the well.
Co-pending U.S. patent application 2010/0024326, having attorney docket number TH3740 discloses a system comprising a well drilled into an underground formation comprising hydrocarbons; a production facility at a topside of the well; a water production facility connected to the production facility; wherein the water production facility produces water by removing some multivalent ions, then removing some monovalent ions, and then adding back some multivalent ions, and then injects the water into the well.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is illustrated prior art system 100. System 100 includes body of water 102, underground formation 104, underground formation 106, and underground formation 108. Production facility 110 may be provided at the surface of body of water 102. Well 112 traverses body of water 102 and formation 104, and has openings in formation 106. A portion of formation 106 may be fractured and/or perforated as shown at 114. Oil and gas may be produced from formation 106 through well 112, to production facility 110. Gas and liquid may be separated from each other, gas may be stored in gas storage 116 and liquid may be stored in liquid storage 118.
There is a need in the art for improved systems and methods for producing oil and/or gas from a subterranean formation. In particular, there is a need in the art for systems and methods for providing an improved water flood.


A delay apparatus comprises one or a plurality of shift registers, a plurality of signal accumulating capacitors which are mutually coupled by transfer transistors, a plurality of write switches each of which is arranged between an input terminal and either one of the capacitors and which are controlled by outputs of the shift registers, and a plurality of read switches which are arranged between the plurality of capacitors and an output terminal and are controlled by the outputs of the shift registers, wherein the signal charges accumulated in the one capacitor are capacitively divided into other capacitors through the transfer transistors for transferring the signal charges.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a delay apparatus which is used in processing of a video signal or the like.
2. Related Background Art
In a video apparatus such as a video camera, VTR, television receiver, or the like, a delay element for delaying a video signal by one horizontal period or a period of time which is 1/2 or an integer times as long as one horizontal period is a significant element to execute processes such as separation, vertical outline correction, skew correction, and the like of chrominance signals. Further, the delay element is also necessary to execute a special effect such as to expand a part of an image pickup signal in a time-dependent manner. In the above video apparatuses, in recent years, the realization of miniaturization, high performance, and low electric power consumption have particularly progressed. Characteristics similar to the above are also demanded for the delay element.
Hitherto, a glass delay line or a CCD (charge coupled device) delay line is mainly used to accomplish the above object. According to the glass delay line, electric/mechanical converting elements are arranged at both ends of the glass and a signal is delayed by using the time which is required for an ultrasonic wave to be propagated in the glass. On the other hand, according to the CCD delay line, a predetermined number of CCDs are driven by predetermined clocks and a signal is delayed by using a transfer time which is required to transfer the signal from one edge of the CCD to the other edge.
In the above delay elements, there is a limitation to further realize the miniaturization high performance, and low electric power consumption for reasons in structure and manufacturing.
For instance, in the case of the glass delay line, the signal of a low frequency cannot be delayed due to the conversion characteristics of the electric/ mechanical converting element or the transfer characteristics of the glass. Therefore, before the signal is input to the delay apparatus, the signal must be certainly modulated at a high frequency and the delayed signal must be demodulated. Thus, modulating and demodulating circuits are necessary. Further, since it is impossible to extremely delay the velocity of a sound wave which is propagated in the glass, there is also a limitation in reducing the length of the glass.
On the other hand, in the case of the CCD delay line, since a transfer driving electrode has a fairly large capacity in principle, a drive pulse consumes a large electric power. In addition, since the amount of charges to be transferred is large, a voltage of about 10V is needed.
Moreover, in order to execute the special effect as mentioned above by the conventional delay element, there is a problem such that a structure and peripheral circuits of such a delay element are very complicated.


A heat exchanger coil pipe is internally cleaned off dirt deposits by forcing ice and water to pass the pipe. A system for carrying out the cleaning comprises a suction pump, a wastewater collecting tank, a suction hose for connection between the waste and wash water collecting tank and a heat transfer medium inlet or outlet of the pipe and an ice-feeding hose provided at one end with a hopper and connectable at the other end to the heat transfer medium outlet or inlet pipe. In the state of the suction hose being connected to the heat transfer medium inlet or outlet and the suction hose being connected to the heat transfer medium outlet or inlet, ice and water are supplied from the hopper and drawn into the ice by suction from the suction pump to flow in the coil pipe and collected into the wastewater collecting tank.

The present invention relates to a method of cleaning the inside of a coil pipe(s) of a heat exchanger and, more specifically, to a method of cleaning the inside of the cooling coil pipe(s) or heating coil pipe(s) of the heat exchanger by forcing water and ice to flow in the coil pipe(s) for removing off dirt deposits such as slime, sludge and residue.
As well known, a heat exchanger transfers heat from a heat transfer medium (e.g., water or steam) passing through in a coil pipe(s) to other medium (e.g., air or water) flowing along the outside of the coil pipe(s) to cool or heat the latter. Dirt deposited in the coil pipe(s) results in a decrease in working efficiency of the heat exchanger. For example, the decreased cooling or heating ability of air conditioners is resulted in most cases from dirt deposits in the cooling or heating coil pipe(s). Namely, the dirt deposited in the coil pipe(s) may prevent the heat exchange between the heating or cooling medium flowing therein and the air flowing along the outside of the coil pipe(s). The buildup of slime, sludge and residue in the coil pipe(s) may also reduce the passage of heat transfer medium (cold or hot water in case of air conditioner) in the coil pipe(s), resulting in lowering the flow rate of the medium flowing therein than the nominal value necessary for achieving designed temperature difference between two fluids cannot be achieved.
For example, a cooling coil pipe(s) or heating coil pipe(s) of a heat exchanger (for chilled or hot water) of an air conditioner may be severely fouled in 10-15 years' use. This results in lowered cooling or heating capacity and shortening the service life of the device. To recover the capacity of the air conditioner, it is usually conducted to increase the airflow rate, wash the fin side (air side) of the heat exchanger coil pipe(s) with high-pressure water and, in rare cases, clean the inside of the heat exchanger coil pipe(s) (heat transfer side) with cleaning agent.
As described above, a heat exchanger coil pipe(s) is usually cleaned by washing its outside wall (air side) and, in rare cases, by flushing its inside wall (water side) with chemical solution. With regard to waste piping, the present applicant has proposed washing the inside of waste pipes with ice cubes in Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-28625.
However, the use of cleaning chemicals is accompanied by a risk of corroding the inside wall of the heat exchanger coil pipe(s) and polluting the environment with waste solution containing residue of chemicals. Therefore, there has been desired a method of cleaning the inside of heat exchanger coil pipe(s), which is friendly both to the heat exchanger coil pipe(s) and the ecological environment. The present invention is directed to a cleaning method that can satisfy the above-described requirements.

Method of flushing a coil pipes(s) of a heat exchanger


A clock synchronous system which secures time synchronization in a network station including a master station and a plurality of slave stations. The system monitors, at all time, a time difference between a reference time of the master station and a present time of the slave station. When the time difference exceeds a predetermined value, the system divides that time difference by a predetermined correction number to find a time correction coefficient and gradually corrects the time difference of the slave station by the time corrections coefficient.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clock synchronous system for a network station including a plurality of workstations and applicable to, for example, a distributed processing system and, in particular, to an improved clock synchronous system for a network station in which the internal time of one of a plurality of workstations is used as a reference time and the time of the remaining workstations is synchronized with the reference time.

Clock synchronous system for a network station


The invention relates to a method and apparatus to carry out the method for extracting petroleum distillate products from alcohol. The inventive method capitalizes on the discovered property that petroleum distillates, such as xylene and limonene, can be dissociated from their tight molecular interaction with alcohol by their higher affinity for water. The method also capitalizes on the discovered property that limonene, in the presence of water, forms terpin hydrate, forming particles that can be removed by filtration. Other, non-limonene petroleum distillates, once dissociated from alcohol, can be removed by distillation.

1. Field of Invention
The inventive subject matter relates to an improved method and apparatus for recycling alcohol contaminated with petroleum distillates, including clearing agents, typically encountered in histocytology laboratories, such as xylene and limonene. The method and apparatus leads to recovery of alcohol and clearing agents as well as a reduction of hazardous waste.
2. Description of the Related Art
A natural byproduct of laboratories is the generation of hazardous waste creating a significant added operational cost to the facility. For example, chlorinated solvents are a major contributor to ozone depletion. The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 mandated a reduction in the amounts of solvents released into the atmosphere. Because of this mandate, industrial and laboratory costs have been risen significantly.
Although disposal methods, such as incineration, are available, recycling of reagents is preferred since generated waste products are returned to further use and the total volume of hazardous waste that needs to be disposed by other means is reduced. Since alcohol is an important ingredient in a large number of processes. Therefore, either rendering alcohol free of hazardous pollutants for eventual disposal or recycling the alcohol volumes is of critical importance.
Recycling of solvents is widely used in industry as well as in some industrial and academic laboratory settings. Recycling of solvents can be divided into three primary distillation methodologies. The first utilizes a simple distillation unit, which heats the solvent waste to drive off the solvent as a vapor. The remaining waste at the bottom of the still is collected and disposed. The second type of distillation method requires versions of fractional stills, which produces a higher purity of recycled product than that produced using the distillation method. A disadvantage of fractional stills, however, is the relatively high cost involved in their operation, compared to other methods. The third distillation method utilizes thin film evaporation. In this method the solvent is distilled by running a thin film down a heated cylindrical vessel where it is eventually vaporized. Thin film evaporators are typically utilized in high volume processes that are operated on a continuous basis.
Separation of solvents from a liquid mixture is widely conducted in laboratories and industry by distillation. Efficiency of separation is, to a great extent, dependent on the molecular properties of the solvent mixture and the differences in boiling points of the solvents. Simplified distillations have been disclosed. For example U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,397 issued October 2003 to Camiener, et al teaches a simplified distillation process for recovery of solvents that have similar boiling points. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,813 issued December 2002 to Ackerson, et al teaches a method of purifying petroleum products to remove oils and aromatics using phase equilibria.
A common aspect of these systems is that they are effective at recycling alcohol that has not been contaminated by commonly used petroleum distillates, such as xylene and limonene. Currently available systems are capable of retrieving the volume of alcohol not contaminated with these chemicals but leaves a significant volume of alcohol, up to 50%, that is not economically recoverable and, therefore, must be disposed.
Petroleum distillation products, such as xylene and limonene are routinely used as clearing agents in biology laboratories, such as histology facilities or industrial concerns. A need exists for the removal of these products from alcohol with the intention of either recovering the petroleum distillation products or reducing the concentration in the alcohol volumes to permit easier and cheaper disposition of hazardous waste.

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy


Multi-packet probes are forwarded from a source to a destination through different paths. The efficiencies of the different paths are then determined by comparing information collected from the probes arriving at the destination. The information can include sequence information such as a sequence number. Packet loss information, such as the ratio of lost packets to sent packets, can be determined based on the sequence information. Alternatively, a histogram of numbers of sequential packets lost can be determined. The information can also include timing information, such as a timestamp, from which relative latency based on the timing information across different paths can be determined. In addition, jitter for each path based on the timing information for that path can also be determined based on the timing information.

Long distance telephone calls are commonly routed over the Internet. While the Internet is fast, relatively inexpensive and usually reliable, it also presents special problems for voice applications.
For example, once a voice packet has been sent, the sender has no control over the path the packet will take. While multiple routes are typically available, due to various parameters and conditions of systems along each path, some paths will provide better performance than others, that is, some paths will be more efficient than others in delivering packets in timely fashion and with few lost packets.
These qualities are particularly important with voice applications because voice signals or messages, to be intelligible, place real-time constraints on the system. Packets must be delivered within reasonable times of each other so that the full voice message can be re-assembled at the receiving end. Furthermore, small noticeable delays are irritating to users, while larger delays make a system unusable.
RFC 1771 from the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) describes the Internet as a collection of arbitrarily connected Autonomous Systems (ASs). An AS is a set of routers under a single technical administration, using an interior gateway protocol and common metrics to route packets within the AS and using an exterior gateway protocol to route packets to other ASs.
FIG. 1 illustrates the components utilized in the end-to-end call where voice is transmitted over the internet.
A call begins at a device such as a telephone 10, which connects to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 12. The PSTN 12 comprises many local exchange carriers (LEC). Here, the telephone or user terminal 10 is connected directly to local exchange carrier 14. The local exchange carrier 14 then connects to long distance carrier (IXC) 12. The long distance carrier 16 then has several options for delivering the voice signal to the destination terminal 44. One of these options is to transmit the voice over internet protocol.
To do so, the long distance carrier 12 connects to an internet source 18, which comprises a Point of Presence (POP) 20. Calls arriving at the POP 20 from various long distance carriers 16 arrive at a voice switch 22 within the POP 20. The switched voice signals are then converted to packets at gateway 34. These internet protocol (IP) packets are then sent to one of several routers or output ports depending on a routing policy and/or announced best routes. Each output port is linked to an autonomous systems (AS) 30, where an AS "is a set of routers under a single technical administration, using an interior gateway protocol and common metrics to route packets within the AS, and using an exterior gateway protocol to route packets to other ASes." See IETF RFC 1930. Thus, each AS is operated by a "carrier" and each carrier may provide different services and charge its own rates.
While en route to a destination 32, the packets may traverse several autonomous systems 30. Each autonomous system encountered is considered a "hop."
The packets then arrives, along with other packets from the same or other sources, at destination routers 28, where they are converted back to voice signals at the receiving POP 34 by a packet-to-voice gateway 36. The voice signals are routed within the POP 34 to voice switches 38 which route the voice channels to a public switched telephone network 42 to which the destination 44 is connected. The call is then routed to the destination terminal 44.


A plasma display panel has a plurality of first and second row electrodes, a plurality of data electrodes which intersect with the row electrodes to form a pixel at every intersection, an address period in which display data pulses are applied to the data electrodes. A scanning pulse is applied to each of the second row electrodes, thereby selecting lighted pixels and unlighted pixels. The width of the scanning pulse applied in the address period is changed dependent on the second row electrode.

The present invention relates to a method for driving a plasma display panel (PDP) of a surface discharge type.
Recently, as a display device becomes large in size, thickness of the display device is desired to be thin. Therefore, various types of display devices of thin thickness are provided. As one of the display devices, an ACPDP is known.
A conventional ACPDP comprises a plurality of data electrodes (address electrodes) and a plurality of row electrodes (sustain electrodes) formed in pairs and disposed to intersect the data electrodes. A pair of row electrodes form one row (one scanning line) of am image. The data electrodes and the row electrodes are covered by dielectric layers respectively, at a discharge space. At the intersection of each of the data electrodes and each pair of row electrodes, a discharge cell (pixel) is formed. Each of the row electrodes comprises a transparent electrode and a bus electrode layered on the transparent electrode.
FIG. 4 shows a timing chart of drive signals for driving the conventional ACPDP.
A reset pulse RPx of positive voltage having a long rising time (long time constant) is applied to each of the row electrodes as sustain electrodes X1-Xn. At the same time, a reset pulse RPy of negative voltage having a long rising time is applied to each of the row electrodes Y1-Yn. Thus, all of the row electrodes in pairs in the PDP are excited to discharge, thereby producing charged particles in the discharge space at the pixel. Thereafter, when the discharge is finished, wall charge is formed and accumulated on the discharge cell (A reset all at once period).
Here, in order to regulate the discharge and emission of light caused by the reset pulse which has no connection with the display and to improve the contrast, the reset pulses RPx and RPy having long rising time (long time constant) are used.
Then, pixel data pulses DP1-DPn corresponding to the pixel data for every row are applied to the pixel data electrodes as address electrodes D1-Dm in order in accordance with display data. At that time, scanning pulses (selecting and erasing pulses) SP are applied to the row electrodes Y1-Yn in order in synchronism with the timings of the data pulse DP1-DPn.
Furthermore, priming pulses PP of positive voltage are applied to the row electrodes Y1-Yn, immediately before the scanning pulses SP are applied.
In the discharge space, the charged particles obtained by the operation of reset all at once are reduced as the time passes. Therefore, the priming pulse PP is applied to the row electrodes for reproducing the charged priming particles in the discharge space. Thus, address operation is stabilized.
At the time, only in the pixel to which the scanning pulse SP and the pixel data pulse DP are simultaneously applied, the discharge occurs, so that the wall charge produced at the reset all at once period is erased.
On the other hand, in the pixel to which only the scanning pulse SP is applied, the discharge does not occur. Thus, the wall charge produced at the reset all at once period is held. Namely, a predetermined amount of the wall charge is selectively erased in accordance with the pixel data (An address period).
Next, a discharge sustaining pulse IPx of positive voltage is applied to the row electrodes X1-Xn, and a discharge sustaining pulse IPy of positive voltage is applied to the row electrodes Y1-Yn at offset timing from the discharge row pulses IPx.
During the discharge sustaining pulses are continuously applied, the pixel which holds the wall charge sustains the discharge and emission of light (A discharge sustaining period).
In the discharge sustaining period, a first pulse of the discharge sustaining pulse IPx is set to have a pulse width wider than the subsequent pulses and the discharge sustaining pulse IPy.
The reason why the first pulse is wide will be described hereinafter.
As aforementioned, when the discharge occurs, the charged priming particles are produced, and the produced charged priming particles reduce as the time passes. As the number of charged particles reduce, the time from the application of the pulse to the start of the discharge (discharge production delay time) becomes long, and the discharge starting time at discharge cells (discharge statistics delay time) becomes uneven. In such a state, when the first pulse of the discharge sustaining pulse is applied, the discharge may not occur. Therefore, even if the subsequent pulses are applied, it is strongly possible not to occur the discharges.
Consequently, in the embodiment, the width of the first pulse is set wider than the subsequent pulses. Namely, the width of the first pulse is set larger than the sum of the discharge production delay time, the discharge statistics delay time, and the time necessary to discharge. Therefore, it is possible to ensurely produce the discharge by the first pulse of the discharge sustaining pulse IPx.
Then, wall charge erasing pulses EP are applied to the row electrodes Y1-Yn for erasing the wall charges formed on the row electrodes. Thus, the wall charges formed on the row electrodes X1-Xn and Y1-Yn are erased, whereby the wall charges in the lighted and unlighted pixels are approximately uniformed (A wall charge erasing period).
In the driving method of the PDP, the reset pulse having a gentle waveform at the rise is applied to the row electrodes all at once, thereby resetting all at once. In the discharge sustaining period, the pulse width of the first pulse of the discharge sustaining pulse which is applied to the row electrodes X1-Xn is set to a large width.
In the conventional method, the reset pulse having the long time constant is employed for weakening the reset discharge, thereby improving the contrast. However, since the reset discharge is weak because of the reset pulse of the long time constant, the amount of priming particle (charged particle) formed in the discharge space is small. Therefore, the priming pulses PP are applied immediately before the scanning pulses SP for reproducing the priming particles which are produced when the reset discharge occurs and reduce as the time passes in the discharge space so as to stabilize the address operation.
On the other hand, in order to display the PDP of high definition, it is necessary to write the display data at a high speed in the address period. However, in the address period, on about the lines including at least a line to be scanned first, the timing of priming discharge by the priming pulses PP becomes uneven. Therefore, selecting and erasing discharge produced by the selecting and erasing pulse (scanning pulse) applied immediately after the priming pulse becomes unstable.
The reason will be described. On a subsequent line which is scanned after the scanning of lines including the first scanning line, since the priming discharge (and selecting and erasing discharge) has occurred on the line at the upper side of the subsequent line, a large amount of priming particles are applied to the subsequent line to be scanned at the time. Thus, the discharge easily occurs on the subsequent line. To the contrary, on the lines including the first scanning line, since the amount of priming particles is small, the lines are in a difficult condition to occur the discharge.

Method for driving a plasma display panel


A method and device for positioning a power tong (2) at the pipe joint (14) of a pipe string (12), where, after the pipe joint (14) has been brought within the working area of the power tong (2), the power tong (2) must be displaced to a position that corresponds with that of the pipe joint (14), and where a camera (16) which may be displaced in parallel with the pipe (12), and which is linked to a display (18), is displaced until the image of the pipe joint (14) coincides with a marker (40) in the display, whereupon a signal is transmitted to a control (26), indicating that the power tong (2) is to be displaced to a position that corresponds with that of the camera (16) and thereby that of the pipe joint (14).

1. Field of the Invention
This invention regards a method of positioning a power tong at a pipe joint. More particularly, it regards a method of positioning a power tong at the pipe joint of a pipe, where, after the pipe joint has been brought within the working area of a power tong, the power tong must be displaced to a position that corresponds with that of the pipe joint. A camera which may be displaced in parallel with the pipe, and which is linked to a display, is displaced until the image of the pipe joint coincides with a marker. A signal is then transmitted to a control, indicating that the power tong is to be displaced to a position that coincides with the camera and thereby the pipe joint. Preferably, the control, which receives information about the relative positions of the camera and the power tong, is programmed to guide the power tong to said position. The invention also regards a device for implementation of the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
When screwing together and unscrewing pipe strings, e.g. in connection with drilling in the ground, power tongs are typically used for the actual screwing operation. The positioning of the power tong, which in addition to the actual power tong also comprises a backup tong, at the pipe joint must be relatively accurate to avoid damage to the pipe couplings, and to ensure the success of the screwing operation.
A pipe string may for instance consist of drill pipes or casing. In this context, the term pipes also includes other equipment such as drill collars or tool components that are commonly connected into a pipe string.
According to prior art, the power tong is guided to the correct position by an operator near the power tong. It is also known to place sensors by the pipe string, the sensors being arranged to indicate to position of the pipe joint, so that the power tong can then automatically be guided to the correct position.
US document 2005/0104583 describes an apparatus for positioning pipe joints by means of so-called eddy current. Position measuring by use of an eddy current field will only provide an approximate position report, due to the relatively "blurred" change in the eddy current field at the approach of the pipe joint.
Safety reasons dictate that preferably, personnel should not be present on the drill floor during the operations in question. Furthermore, sensors have turned out not to be capable of indicating the position of the pipe joint with sufficient accuracy. The reason for this is, among other things, that the sensors can hardly take into account the fact that the pipe components have been repaired or for other reasons have different dimensions.
The object of the invention is to remedy or reduce at least one of the drawbacks of prior art.
The object is achieved in accordance with the invention, by the features stated in the description below and in the following claims.

Method and device for positioning a power tong at a pipe joint


A new variety of hybrid lily plant bearing large upright-facing flowers of excellent form and long persistence, both on the plant and as cut-flowers. The flowers of the new hybrid are particularly characterized by their large size and substance and by their unusual orange flowers with a large white area in the center of each tepal. This combination is completely new in the Asiatic hybrid divisions of lilies suited to forcing and to mass commercial cultivation. The variety is highly resistant to fusarium disease and shows tolerance of virus. The bulbs may be precooled and forced for cut-flower production. The clone is vigorous and is a good grower and propagator.

My new variety of lily plant originated as a seedling which first flowered in Boring, Ore. in 1988. The breeding efforts had as their objective the production of deeply colored Asiatics with a very light to white area in the center of each tepal, suited to forcing into flower out of season, heretofore unknown in the lily breeding art.
I achieved the desired objective by intercrossing two unnamed orange Asiatic seedlings, each of which had a much lighter orange area in the center of each tepal. Both of the unnamed seedling parents were produced by me by pollinating an unusual albino-flowered Asiatic mutant seedling (also produced by me and never released commercially) with Lilium `Sunkissed` (unpatented). Although unpatented, `Sunkissed` was a popular garden lily during the 1970's. Two siblings from this cross had orange flowers with very lighly pigmented tepal tips, and these were intercrossed to produce `Orange Flash`. Two other siblings of `Orange Flash` showed its distinctive flower color pattern, but both had distorted flowers.
The flowers of my new lily are characterized by an upfacing to slightly outfacing orientation, large size, and deep orange coloration with a wide white area in the center of each tepal. It possesses unusually strong, stout stems. In addition, the clone possesses to a high degree desirable characteristics of hybrid vigor. The clone is a good grower and propagator, as observed as Boring, Ore.
My new variety of lily plant has been asexually reproduced by me and under my direction at Boring, Ore. Successive generations produced by natural propagation from bulblets, bulbils, by bulb scale propagation, and by tissue culturing from bulb scale explants have demonstrated that the novel and distinctive characteristics of my new variety are fixed and hold true under asexual propagation from generation to generation.


An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member and an electrostatic image forming unit including an electrification device, which is disposed in contact with the image bearing member at an electrification location for performing injection electrification of the image bearing member. The apparatus is configured to change a peripheral speed difference between the electrification device and the image bearing member in accordance with a first period when an area of said image bearing member, which is to be an image forming area, is present in the electrification position; and a second period in which at least a particle of an area of said image bearing member, the area being a no-image area is present in the electrification position. The peripheral speed in the second period is smaller than the peripheral speed in the first period.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic apparatus, an electrographic recording apparatus or the like having an electrification device for charging an image bearing member such as a photosensitive member or a dielectric member.
2. Related Background Art
An image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic apparatus conventionally requires an electrification step of uniformly electrifying an image bearing member for forming an electrostatic latent image on the image bearing member and used as electrifying means is a corona electrification device or the like which is not brought into contact with the image bearing member. However, the corona electrification device poses problems in that it produces a large amount of ozone, and that is requires applying a high voltage on the order of 10 kV between the electrification device and the image bearing member.
As an electrification device which solves these problems, there has recently been proposed and put to practical use the so-called contact electrification device which electrifies an image bearing member uniformly by applying a voltage to an electrifying member which is in direct contact with the image bearing member.
A) Roller Charging Device
A representative of the above described contact electrification device is a roller electrification device 2-X shown in FIG. 9.
An electrification member 2-X-a of the roller electrification device is a roller (electrification roller) having a layer of medium resistance disposed on an electrically conductive base roller which is kept in contact with an image bearing member 1 under a predetermined pressure, rotatably held by a bearing and rotated in a direction indicated by an arrow b while following a rotation of the image bearing member 1 which is rotatingly driven in a direction indicated by an arrow a. A predetermined bias voltage is applied from a power supply S1 between the above described roller 2-X-a and the image bearing member 1, whereby the above described image bearing member 1 is uniformly electrified at a uniform potential.
Applied as the above described voltage is (1) only a DC voltage or (2) a DC voltage overlapped with an AC voltage. In case of (1), a voltage on the order of xe2x88x921300 V must be applied to obtain a potential of xe2x88x92600V on the image bearing member 1 or in case of (2), a potential on the image bearing member 1 can be set similarly at xe2x88x92600 V by applying a DC voltage of xe2x88x92600 V overlapped with an AC voltage not lower than 1500 Vpp.
In either case of (1) or (2), an electrification mechanism is governed by Paschen""s law and the image bearing member 1 is electrified owing to a discharge phenomenon which takes place in an area such as an area H shown in FIG. 9 where Paschen""s law is satisfied at a specific distance between the above described electrification roller 2-X-a and the image bearing member 1.
As understood from the electrification mechanism described above, however, such a contact electrification device causes discharge which is the same as that caused by the initially described corona electrification device in the minute spatial area H and also produces ozone though in an amount remarkably smaller than that produced by the corona electrification device. This ozone produces nitric oxide which has low resistance and a defective image is formed due to improper electrification when the nitric acid adheres to the image bearing member 1.
B) Injection Electrification Device
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-3921 or the like proposes an injection electrification process which is free from a problem of ozone production and therefore permits lowering a voltage to be applied to an electrification device.
This electrification process is characterized by being capable of setting a surface potential of an image bearing member nearly at a voltage applied to an electrification device without using a discharge phenomenon but by injecting electric charges to the image bearing member through direct electric charge transfer from the electrification device to a surface of the image bearing member which is brought into contact with the electrification device.
(1) Magnetic Brush Electrification Device
Several types of injection electrification devices are proposed as electrification device for realizing the above described injection electrification process.
As a representative one of the injection electrification devices, a magnetic brush type electrification device 2-Y is shown in FIG. 10. This electrification device is configured by a magnet 2-Y-a, a nonmagnetic electrification sleeve 2-Y-b which comprises the magnet 2-Y-a, a magnet carrier (magnetic carrier, magnetic powder) 2-Y-c, electrically conductive regulating blade 2-Y-d, a housing 2-Y-e and the like. The magnet carrier 2-Y-c is a substance which is magnetic and electrically conductive.
The electrification sleeve 2-Y-b is rotatably disposed in the housing 2-Y-e and a portion of a circumferential surface of the electrification sleeve 2-Y-b is exposed outside through an opening of the housing. The electrification device 2-Y is disposed in a condition where the portion of the electrification sleeve 2-Y-b exposed outside is opposed to the image bearing member 1 with a predetermined slight gap reserved. The magnet 2-Y-a is fixed so as not to rotate. The magnet carrier 2-Y-c is reserved in the housing 2-Y-e. The regulating blade 2-Y-d is disposed in the opening of the housing 2-Y-e so as to reserve a predetermined gap from the electrification sleeve 2-Y-b.
The magnet carrier 2-Y-c in the housing 2-Y-e is magnetically adsorbed and held as a magnetic brush to the circumferential surface of the electrification sleeve 2-Y-b by a magnetic field of the magnet 2-Y-a, conveyed as the electrification sleeve 2-Y-b rotates, regulated to a predetermined layer thickness by the regulating blade 2-Y-d, conveyed outside through the opening of the housing 2-Y-e, brought into contact with a surface of the image bearing member 1, frictionally slides on the surface of the image bearing member, and is returned and conveyed into the housing 2-Y-e as the electrification sleeve 2-Y-b rotates successively.
The image bearing member 1 is rotatingly driven in a direction indicated by an arrow a and the electrification sleeve 2-Y-b is rotatingly driven in a direction indicated by an arrow s reverse to a rotating direction of the image bearing member 1 in a contact portion (electrification portion) between the image bearing member 1 and the magnetic brush of the magnet carrier 2-y-c. In other words, the magnetic brush of the magnet carrier 2-Y-c rotates at a peripheral speed different from that of the image bearing member 1 as the electrification sleeve 2-Y-b rotates, thereby frictionally slides on the surface of the image bearing member 1.
In the magnetic brush electrification device 2-Y taken as this example, a DC voltage, for example, of xe2x88x92600 V is applied as an electrification bias voltage from a power supply S1 to the regulating blade 2-Y-d. Accordingly, a portion of the image bearing member 1 which is in contact with the magnetic brush of the magnet carrier 2-Y-c tends to be at the same potential. The image bearing member 1 is electrified at this time when electric charges are injected from the magnet carrier 2-Y-c to the image bearing member 1 beyond an energy barrier or electrification does not take place when electric charges move again from the image bearing member 1 to the magnet carrier 2-Y-c at a step the magnet carrier 2-Y-c separates from the image bearing member 1. This phenomenon is largely dependent on a surface energy barrier and electric charge holding capability of the image bearing member 1, whereas a frequency of occasions of contact between the magnet carrier 2-Y-c and the image bearing member 1 is important when the phenomenon is considered as a competitive reaction.
In order to enhance this contact frequency, it is effective to enhance a density of the magnetic brush by reducing a particle diameter of the magnet carrier 2-Y-c and strengthening a magnetic force of the magnet 2-Y-a, and enhance a rotating speed of the magnetic brush of the magnet carrier 2-Y-c relative to that of the image bearing member by setting the rotating direction s of the electrification sleeve 2-Y-b reverse to the advancing direction a of the image bearing member 1 in the electrification portion, thereby bringing the magnet carrier 2-Y-c into contact with the image bearing member 1 more times per unit time.
When the magnet carrier 2-Y-c which is a site to inject electric charges to the image bearing member 1 is brought into contact with the image bearing member 1 with a high frequency as described above, the surface potential of the image bearing member 1 is set at a potential nearly equal to xe2x88x92600 V which is applied to the regulating blade 2-Y-d, thereby permitting uniform electrification free from ununiform electrification even in a microscopic area.
(2) Fur Brush Electrification Device
Furthermore, an injection electrification device 2-Z which uses a fur brush roller 2-Z-a as an electrification member as shown in FIG. 11 is contrived an injection electrification device of a type different from the above described magnetic brush type.
In the fur brush type injection electrification device, fur has a role of the magnetic brush of the magnet carrier 2-Y-c in the above described magnetic brush electrification device 2-Y.
The fur brush roller 2-Z-a has electrically conductive soft fur planted at a high density so that a tip of the fur is in contact with the surface of the image bearing member. The image bearing member is rotatingly driven in a direction indicated by an arrow a, whereas the fur brush roller 2-Z-a is rotatingly driven in a portion (electrification portion) in contact with the image bearing member 1 in a direction indicated by an arrow s reverse to a rotating direction of the image bearing body 1. In other words, the fur brush roller 2-Z-a rotates at a peripheral speed different from the of the image bearing member 1 and frictionally slides on the surface of the image bearing member 1.
A predetermined DC voltage is applied from a power supply S1 to the fur brush roller 2-Z-a as the electrification bias voltage, whereby the surface of the image bearing member 1 is electrified.
(3) Sponge Roller Electrification Device
Furthermore, an injection electrification device 2-A of a type which uses an electrification sponge roller 2-A-a as an electrification member as shown in FIG. 12 is contrived as a type different from the above described magnetic brush type or fur brush type.
In the injection electrification device 2-A, electrically conductive particles Z having relatively low resistance which is referred to as electrification accelerating particles adhere to porous portions (hole portions) of a surface of the electrification sponge roller 2-A-a which rotates in contact with the image bearing member 1, and the electrification accelerating particles Z correspond to the magnet carrier 2-Y-c of the above described magnetic brush type and constitute an injection site.
The image bearing member 1 is rotatingly driven in a direction indicated by an arrow a, whereas the electrification sponge roller 2-A-a is rotatingly driven in a portion (electrification portion) in contact with the image bearing member 1 in a direction indicated by an arrow s reverse to a rotating direction of the image bearing member 1. In other words, the electrification sponge roller 2-A-a rotates at a peripheral speed different from that of the image bearing member 1 and frictionally slides on the surface of the image bearing member 1. In this case, the electrification accelerating particles Z are interposed between the electrification sponge roller 2-A-a and the image bearing member 1. A predetermined DC current is applied to the electrification sponge roller 2-A-a as an electrification bias voltage from a power supply S1, whereby the surface of the image bearing member 1 is electrified.
In any case of the magnetic brush electrification device 2-Y (FIG. 9), the fur brush electrification device 2-Z (FIG. 10) and the sponge roller electrification device 2-A (FIG. 11), however, a number of contacts between the injection site and the image bearing member 1 is important for the above described injection electrification device to maintain an electrification capability, and it is necessary for efficiently increasing the number of contacts to enhance a relative speed by rotating the electrification member in the direction c reverse to the rotating direction a of the image bearing member and enhance a contact pressure of the electrification member so as to increase a contact area between the image bearing member 1 and the electrification member. Accordingly, friction between the image bearing member 1 and the electrification member is enhanced, thereby posing a problem of service lives of both the member which are shortened by deterioration caused due to abrasion.
In the sponge roller type injection electrification device 2-A in particular, a contact pressure is high between the image bearing member 1 and the sponge roller 2-A-a used as the electrification member, the electrification accelerating particles Z having relatively high hardness are interposed between these members and functions like an abrasive, thereby posing a problem that the image bearing member 1 is badly damaged and a surface layer of the image bearing member 1 is cut off rather remarkably.
Means effective for reducing a cut amount of the image bearing member 1 in the image forming apparatus which uses the roller electrification device 2-X (FIG. 9) utilizing discharge are exemplified as follows:
(a) lowering a pressure of a cleaning member which is in contact with the image bearing member 1
(b) lowering an AC voltage to a minimum required level in a case where a DC voltage overlapped with an AC voltage is to be applied to the electrification roller 2-X-a
(c) shortening a time to apply a voltage between the image bearing member 1 and the electrification roller 2-X-a
However, it is known that the injection electrification devices described here do not always have means (a) or (b), scarcely damage the image bearing member 1 in (c) by applying voltages and cut the surface of the image bearing member 1 only by a physical force generated simply by friction.
Accordingly, the sponge roller 2-A-a used as the electrification member always slides on the image bearing member 1 while the image bearing member 1 is rotating in the image forming apparatus which uses the sponge roller type injection electrification device 2-A. In other words, this image forming apparatus allows the image bearing member 1 to be cut even at a pre-rotation process, a postrotation process, a sheet interval process and the like where the conventional example is capable of preventing the cutting of the electrification bias, thereby posing the problem that the service life of the image bearing member 1 is shortened.
Though it is conceivable to thicken the image bearing member 1 for prolonging the service life of the image bearing member 1, a thicker film degrades reproducibility of a latent image and blurs an image, thereby posing a problem that prolonged service life of the image bearing member is hardly compatible with a good image quality.
In case of this example, cutting of the image bearing member 1 is largely different, or three or more times as remarkable in not a few cases between operation modes of the image forming apparatus for successive sheet passage and independent sheet passage at processes including the prerotation process and the postrotation process.
It is therefore necessary to assume a maximum cut amount for determining a required thickness of the image bearing member, but there is posed not only a problem that such a thickness imposes too strict specifications and a waste cost on a user who operates an image forming apparatus frequently in the successive paper passage mode but also a problem that such a thickness obliges an image to be more or less lowered in a quality due to the above described degradation of the latent image.
In case of a cleanerless system which does not use a cleaner for cleaning the image bearing member and must have a electrification capability high enough to prevent the sponge roller 2-A-a from being influenced by a developer adhering in a small amount to the roller, there is posed a problem that the above described sponge roller 2-A-a must have a higher contact pressure and cuts the image bearing member in a larger amount.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which is capable of reducing abrasion of an image bearing member and electrification means.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus which uses electrification means for injection electrification and is capable of maintaining a high image quality for a long time.

Image forming apparatus including image bearing member and electrification means with changeable peripheral speed difference therebetween


A racket frame which includes an oval frame connected to a handle through a throat for hanging a network of catgut therein. The oval frame includes at least one groove around an endless inner wall thereof to hold at least one catcut mounting frame. Each catgut mounting frame has a plurality of catgut mounting tabs for mounting a catgut in setting up a network of catgut within the oval frame.

The present invention relates to racket frames and relates more particularly to a racket frame having catgut mounting tabs disposed around an endless inner wall thereof for inserting a catgut in setting up a striking surface within the oval frame.
The racket handle of a racket for tennis is generally comprised of an oval frame attached to a handle through a throat to hold a network of catgut for striking a tennis ball. FIG. 1 illustrates a catgut mounting structure for a racket according to the prior art. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the oval frame (1) of the racket has a plurality of equally spaced through holes (13) through the inner wall (11) and the outer wall (12) thereof. An elongated binding strip (15) is mounted around the outer wall (12) of the oval frame (1), having a plurality of hollow pins (16) respectively fitted into the through holes (13) for inserting a catgut (14). Because through holes (13) should be made on the oval frame (1) for inserting the hollow pins (16) of the binding strip (15), the structural strength of the oval frame (1) will be weakened. Further, because the hollow pins (16) protrude beyond the inner wall (11) of the oval frame (1), they may be damaged by the catgut (14) or the catgut (14) may be damaged by the end of either hollow pin (16) while striking against the ball (see FIG. 3).


A digital camera first carries out R component and B component interpolation processing on image data. Then, magnification chromatic aberration correction processing is carried out on the image data that has undergone R component and B component interpolation processing. Then, G component interpolation processing is carried out on the image data that has undergone magnification chromatic aberration correction processing. In carrying out G component interpolation processing, a determination is made as to the G components of which pixels to use in the interpolation processing based on R components or B components of the image data that has undergone magnification chromatic aberration correction processing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to techniques of interpolating color components in pixels of image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital cameras, which are now widespread, generally obtain a first set of image data, in which R (red) component pixel signals, G (green) component pixel signals, and B (blue) component pixel signals, are lined up in a Bayer arrangement, using photo-electric conversion. Then a second set of image data is obtained by executing on the first set of image data processes such as for example pixel interpolation processing, in which color components of pixels are interpolated, magnification chromatic aberration correction processing, in which chromatic differences of magnification are corrected, and distortion aberration correction processing, in which distortion aberration is corrected. This second set of image data is used for such purposes as display on a PC (personal computer) or the like.
Here it is known that the quality of the second set of image data varies depending on the manner in which the above-mentioned pixel interpolation and correction processes are carried out. Accordingly, pixel interpolation processing has been proposed (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-191053) that gives consideration to the reproducibility of high frequency components in order to improve the quality of the second set of image data. Furthermore, it is also known (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-190979) that pixel interpolation processing is to be carried out before magnification chromatic aberration correction processing.
A method of interpolating G components in pixel interpolation processing is described with reference to FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, in image data obtained by an image sensor, R component pixel signals, G component pixel signals, and B component pixel signals are lined up in a Bayer arrangement. Here, since only a B component is present at a pixel 209 of a center in FIG. 2, a G component of the pixel 209 is interpolated based on surrounding G components in order to obtain a G component of the pixel 209.
At this time, a correlation of B components at two pixels above and two pixels below (a pixel 202 and pixel 204) from the pixel 209 (the pixel targeted for interpolation) and a correlation of B components at two pixels right and two pixels left (a pixel 206 and pixel 208) from the pixel 209 are compared. Then, a G component of the pixel 209 is interpolated based on the G component one pixel above and one pixel below or one pixel right and one pixel left (a pixel 201 and pixel 203, or a pixel 205 and pixel 207, respectively) in the direction having higher correlation from the pixel 209. In this way, by determining the pixels of G components to be used in pixel interpolation processing based on a result of comparing a correlation between color components, the reproducibility of high frequency components can be improved for G components and image quality can be improved.
Here, although the image quality of the second set of image data varies depending on the manner in which pixel interpolation and correction processes are carried out as described above, conventionally pixel interpolation processing has been carried out for each of the RGB components of the image data before magnification chromatic aberration correction processing.
However, due to chromatic differences of magnification in image data prior to magnification chromatic aberration correction processing being carried out, the positional relationship between different color components sometimes may not correspond correctly to the positional relationship of the color components of the object. Thus, when pixel interpolation processing is carried out under these conditions, the pixel interpolation processing is carried out based on unsuitable pixels, and there is a problem of reduced image quality in the image data that is obtained.
For example, the pixel 205 and pixel 206 are laterally adjacent in the example of FIG. 2, but since their color components are different, there is a possibility that the positions are displaced due to magnification chromatic aberration, and these may not necessarily be representing laterally adjacent pixels in the object. For this reason, determining the pixels to be used in interpolation processing for the G component of the pixel 209 based on a result of comparing a correlation between B components in the pixel 202 and pixel 204 and the correlation between B components in the pixel 206 and pixel 208 will not always result in improved image quality.
The present invention has been devised in light of these circumstances, and is characterized by providing a technique that improves the quality of image data obtained as a result of image processing in image processing that includes at least pixel interpolation processing and magnification chromatic aberration correction processing.

Image processing apparatus and image processing method


An improved bail assembly for a spinning reel which, in one aspect includes a bail arm with a roller hood having an outer converging end portion wherein a bail wire extends from the converging end portion in an initial substantially straight manner such that there are no bends in the bail wire in proximity to the roller hood. In another aspect, the improvement comprises a converging extension piece which extends from the bail arm, the bail wire extending from the extension piece in a substantially straight manner such that there are no bends in proximity to the extension piece. The extension piece preferably also constitutes a connector for the bail wire which is effective for reducing corrosion of the bail assembly.

Spinning-type fishing reels are well known in the art. A spinning reel typically comprises: a housing; an oscillating spool at the forward end of the housing; a rotatable crank handle extending from the housing; a rotor which rotates about the spool by cooperative movement with the crank handle; and a bail assembly which is mounted on the rotor and operates to wind the fishing line onto the oscillating spool. The rotor typically comprises a pair of ears which are positioned on opposite sides of the spool.
The bail assembly of a spinning reel typically comprises a U-shaped bail wire which is connected between a pair of bail arms. The bail arms are pivotably connected to the rotor ears so that the bail wire and bail arms can be pivoted together between (a) an open position for casting wherein the fishing line is permitted to feed off of the outer end of the spool and (b) a closed position for reeling wherein the bail assembly winds the fishing line back onto the oscillating spool as the user turns the crank handle. To facilitate the wrapping of the fishing line onto the oscillating spool, the bail assembly will also typically include a line roller which receives and guides the fishing line onto the spool during the reeling operation. The roller is typically located either between the bail wire and the forward portion of one of the bail arms or is located within the bail arm itself. In either case, the bail wire will typically be attached above the line roller such that the bail wire initially projects laterally outward with respect to the rotational axis of the line roller. The bail wire typically then includes a rather sharp bend (sometimes approaching as much as 90°) in close proximity to the line roller and the bail arm. Next, the bail wire extends in a substantially uniform U-shape to the bail arm on the other side of the reel. Examples of the prior art bail assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,513 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,221, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Various problems are commonly experienced when using the spinning reel bail assemblies heretofore available in the art. To alleviate these problems, a need exists for an improved spinning reel bail assembly which will: provide improved fishing line management; assure that the fishing line is always properly received on the line roller for the reeling operation so that the line does not cut into the bail arm or the bail wire; and prevent the fishing line from snagging or looping. In addition, a need exists, particularly in regard to the use of flexible bail wires, for an improved bail assembly which: reduces the potential for breakage at the bail wire connection points; prevents bail wire breakage by eliminating bends and/or other areas of fatigue; and reduces the potential for corrosion at the bail wire connection points.


For having magnitudes of all currents for supplying for all passive elements in a same product be equal, a current balancing module, which has balancing transformers as more as approximately half an amount of all the passive elements, is provided for meeting such requirements. The provided current balancing module is for solving defects caused by complicated designs and increased volumes caused by an increased number of balancing transformers. Each current path in the current balancing module flows through two mutual-corresponding passive elements and at least one balancing transformer. All the current paths have a same magnitude in current with the aid of a pair of sinusoidal waves having same magnitudes and opposite poles, and the aid of all the balancing transformers having a same number of turns.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a current balancing module, and more particularly, to a current balancing module utilizing fewer balancing transformers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a conventional liquid crystal television utilizing a huge amount of tubes as back light modules, a primary transformer is required for supplying power to all the tubes. The magnitude of each current flowing through each tube is required to be as close as possible for having luminance of each tube be consistent. However, since there are possible differences among the tubes because of fabrication, resistances of the tubes may reveal differences as well. Differences in resistances of the tubes result in differences in magnitudes of currents flowing through the tubes so that consistency and stability in luminance of the tubes fail, and the quality for watching the liquid crystal television is significantly reduced. For neutralizing such defects, more balancing transformers are added to the tubes so as to balance currents flowing through the tubes. However, the added balancing transformers increase the capital, the volume, and power consumption of the liquid crystal television.
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a diagram of a conventional current balancing module 100 equipping balancing transformers for balancing magnitudes of currents flowing through tubes of a liquid crystal television. As shown in FIG. 1, the current balancing module 100 includes a primary transformer 102, a plurality of capacitors 104, a plurality of tubes 106 respectively corresponding to the plurality of capacitors 104, and a plurality of balancing transformers 108 respectively corresponding to the plurality of tubes 106. The primary transformer 102 is used for raising voltage levels of inputted voltages for lightening the plurality of tubes 106. The plurality of capacitors 104 is utilized for filtering off DC components and harmonic wave components in outputted voltages of the primary transformer 102. The balancing transformer 108 is utilized for modulating the magnitude of the current flowing through each tube 106 with a turns ratio (or a circle ratio) of 1:1 so as to balance the magnitude of the current flowing through each tube 106. However, as shown in FIG. 1, a balancing transformer 108 is required by each tube 106 for cooperating with the modulated current, which creates burdens in volume and fabrication capital. Moreover, the more the number of the plurality of tubes 106 is, the heavier the burden is.
Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a diagram of a conventional current balancing module disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,781,325. As shown in FIG. 2, the DC voltage source 200 is utilized for providing DC voltages for the full bridge circuit 202 so as to transform the DC voltages into square waves, and the transformer 204 is utilized for transforming the voltage level of the DC voltages. A plurality of capacitors C1, C2, C3, . . . , Cn, each of which is successively coupled to the output terminal of the transformer 204, is coupled to a plurality of corresponding tubes CCFL1, CCFL2, CCFL3, . . . , CCFLn respectively in series. A plurality of balancing transformers (or common-mode transformers) CC1, CC2, CC3, . . . , CCn-1 is utilized for balancing magnitudes of currents flowing through the tubes CCFL1, CCFL2, CCFL3, . . . , CCFLn. A passive element module 220 is utilized for receiving a feedback signal, and a controller of the full bridge circuit 202 outputs voltages according to the feedback signal. Therefore, as can be observed in FIG. 2, the magnitudes of currents I1 and I2 are equivalent, and the magnitudes of currents I3 and I4 are equivalent as well. However, though the magnitudes of the currents flowing through the plurality of tubes CCFL1, CCFL2, CCFL3, . . . , CCFLn are balanced to a certain degree, numbers of balancing transformers on certain current paths are not consistent with the most current paths so that the degree of balancing is reduced slightly. Moreover, since the design of the conventional current balancing modules is getting complicated, the volume of utilized elements is also enlarged with the increased number of tubes, and the abovementioned defects cannot be herein neutralized effectively.


A simulated game using miniature animate or inanimate objects which are intended to move in a direction and/or toward or away from each other includes utilizing a hollow ball or other rolling toy for at least some of the miniature objects. Movement of the toy is controlled by a remote controlled unit. In a preferred practice of the invention a frame is detachably mounted over the toy. The frame supports three dimensional structure simulating the object.

One of the oldest types of toys is a ball. Balls have been used for various amusement devices ranging from basic rolling and throwing games to more sophisticated games having varying degrees of rules.
In recent times radio controlled vehicles, such as cars and airplanes have become quite popular. An advantage of these remote controlled vehicles is the ability to control the direction of movement of such toys. This advantage is not shared by conventional balls. Attempts have been made to provide some variety in entertainment value of balls by incorporating different mechanisms that cause the balls to move in a random manner when thrown or rolled.
Various types of games have been known which are miniaturized versions simulating full size games. For example, games are available on a game board to simulate football, hockey, racing, etc. It would be desirable to enhance the playing of such games.