In a mobile telephone including a camera 2a and a microphone 4 loaded in front, and a camera 2b on the back, the sensitivity of the microphone 4 is set at a normal level when the camera 2a is selected, and the sensitivity of the microphone 4 is enhanced when the camera 2b is selected so that the conventional problems can be solved. To attain this, an electronic apparatus such as a mobile telephone, a PHS, a PDA, etc. capable of capturing a moving picture and a still image is loaded with a camera and a microphone capable of easily and clearly collecting voice from all directions when a user who is taking a picture captures an image in front of the user, the user himself or herself, or a target in a different direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus such as a mobile telephone, a PHS (personal handyphone system), a PDA (personal digital assistant), etc. loaded with a camera and a microphone.
2. Description of the Related Art
When a user who is taking a picture takes a moving picture using a mobile telephone, which is loaded with a camera and a microphone, capable of taking a moving picture while checking the picture on the display of the mobile telephone, the following process has been performed to realize capturing an image in front of the user, and capturing an image of the user himself, or herself or in other directions.
FIG. 1A shows an example (1) of the conventional mobile telephone. In FIG. 1A, a conventional mobile telephone 101 is loaded with a communications/sound collecting microphone 104 (a display 103 faces in the same direction), and one camera set in the same direction as the display 103 and one opposite to the display 103 (cameras 102a and 102b).
FIG. 1B shows an example (2) of the conventional mobile telephone (literature 1). In FIG. 1B, in addition to a communications microphone (not shown in the attached drawings), a module 105 in which a microphone and a camera are incorporated into one unit can be detached from the body of the mobile telephone 101.
FIG. 1C shows an example (3) of the conventional mobile telephone (literature 2). In FIG. 1C, the mobile telephone 101 is formed by an upper portion 101a, a middle portion 101b, and a lower portion 101c which are connected through coupling units 106a and 106b. A camera 102 is mounted on the side of the upper portion 101a, and the microphone 104 is mounted on the lower portion 101c. Since the coupling units 106a and 106b can be rotated, the directions of the camera 102 and the microphone 104 can be changed.
Literature 1 Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2001-53905                (pages 1 through 3, FIGS. 1 and 2)
Literature 2 Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei 10-313452                (pages 1 through 6, FIGS. 1 through 8)
However, in FIG. 1A, when a moving picture is taken, the sensitivity of a microphone is constant regardless of which camera is to be used, the camera 102a of the camera 102b. Therefore, when a picture is taken using the camera 102b loaded in one direction while the microphone 104 is loaded in the opposite direction, the voice level is lower than the camera 102a loaded in the same direction as the microphone 104 although the distance between the mobile telephone 101 and the person whose image is captured is the same.
In FIG. 1B, for example, when the user who is taking a picture takes a picture of himself or herself while watching the display 103, the mobile telephone 101 and the camera unit 105 are to be held by the user, and inconveniently require both hands of the user.
Additionally, a camera having a built-in microphone is designed to fix the microphone and the camera in the same direction. Therefore, the sound can be collected only from the direction of the camera. For example, when the voice of the user who is taking a picture is collected while the user is taking a picture in the direction the user faces, the voice level is low for the above-mentioned reason.
Furthermore, in FIG. 1C, since the microphone 104 and the camera 102 are loaded on the different movable parts, they have to be independently adjusted in direction when the direction of a picture to be taken is changed, which causes inconvenience to the user.

Electronic apparatus equipped with image capturing device and microphone


A secure messaging system provides a secure messaging exchange service to identified user. In one embodiment, the System comprises a User Record Server (URS) comprising a plurality of Private Electronic Mail (PEM) user accounts. A Secure Mail Delivery Agent (SMDA) provides a storage area for inbound sMail upon authentication via the URS that a Sender ID bundle in a message header of each incoming message matches the Sender ID of at least one of said plurality of PEM user accounts before delivering said incoming message. A first Secure Mail Transfer Agent (SMTA), coupled via a first encrypted connection to said SMDA and via a second connection to a public network, is configured to insert a Sender ID bundle into sMail headers when routing outbound sMail, and further configured to establish encrypted channels for the transmission of sMail over a public network.

The current state of the public email system is a mess. The public email system or common email system was originally designed as a simple way to send written communication utilizing a burgeoning internet. Early Users were college professors and government personnel who were inherently trusted individuals who had little reason to perpetrate scams or spam. Accordingly, email was not designed with security in mind. On the contrary, the current public email system has been built with anonymity and unlimited public access as a priority. It is these two characteristics which have ultimately proved to limit the functionality of email to the transfer of non-sensitive information. Today, anyone anywhere can send as many emails as they wish to send, to as many people as they wish from an anonymous address. A sender of an email has no control over the security procedures of a recipient in an email transaction and the sender lacks visibility into the channel and thus cannot verify the legal identity of the recipient before a message is sent, whereby the legal identity is the identity which is same identity represented to the government for the individual or business.
Due to the lack of controls for identifying the sender and holding the sender accountable, the current email system is wrought with scams and spam, marketing email messages sent to mass audiences of recipients who did not opt to receive these messages, usually from an anonymous source. Spam filters are well know technologies that attempt to filter spam messages prior to those messages reaching an recipient's inbox and are only partially effective, creating a nuisance for recipients. Just as importantly, false positives by spam filters (falsely identifying legitimate email as spam) are detrimental to the current email system. False positives on spam filters filter out a significant portion of legitimate and even important mail and there is absolutely no assurance that an email sent will ever reach its destination. This lack of assurance is a major factor that prohibits email from being used for many purposes where the sender needs reasonable certainty that a message has been received and that the message was sent to the correct person.
The security of the email path is also a major problem with the current public email system. A sender of an email has little assurance that the message will be encrypted throughout its electronic path to the recipient. In fact, it is highly likely that the email message will be unencrypted at some point in its path. This allows sophisticated sniffers to be used by hackers to detect and fetch sensitive information in email traffic, enabling vast opportunity for theft and fraud.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a Publicly Available Protected Electronic Mail System that overcomes the limitations of the conventional email system and the current email system's inability to provide a secure and protected medium for the exchange of sensitive messages, and it is to this end that the present invention is directed.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Publicly available protected electronic mail system


A directional ground relay (50) for receiving electric values relating to voltage and current from a power transmission line (1) to be protected. The directional ground relay may decide a direction of a fault in the power transmission line based upon the electric values. The directional ground relay comprises a zero-phase sequential current calculation unit (10-2) for calculating a zero-phase sequential current based upon the current detected from the power transmission line. The directional ground relay further comprises a phase-comparison unit (10-3) configured to compare a phase of the zero-phase sequential current to a phase of voltage corresponding to the voltage in the power transmission line, to decide whether the zero-phase sequential current is within a pre-determined range, and to output the phase of the voltage as a faulty phase of voltage, when the zero-phase sequential current is within the pre-determined range.

This invention is related generally to a directional ground relay system, and more particularly to such a relay system for protecting electric power transmission system against high-resistance ground fault.
A high-resistance ground fault is generally detected by the phase relation between zero-phase sequential current and zero-phase sequential voltage as described in Electric Technology Research Association Report Volume 37-1, 1981, p. 49, 50 and 54, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
A directional ground relay of this type has a forward ground directional detecting element and a reverse ground directional detecting element. The directional ground relay sets zero-phase sequential voltage Vo as reference, and decides that there is a forward ground fault if the zero-phase sequential current Io lags −Vo, and that there is a reverse ground fault if the zero-phase sequential current Io leads to −Vo.
FIG. 21 shows the characteristic sample of a typical directional ground relay described above. In FIG. 21, "θ" denotes the highest sensitivity angle of the directional ground relay.
FIGS. 22 and 23 show examples of logic sequence circuits for tripping the circuit breaker using the outputs of the directional ground relay having a characteristics shown in FIG. 21, especially, the ground fault forward detecting element 21 which may detect a forward fault. FIG. 22 shows a case when the local circuit breaker is tripped. The logic sequence shown in FIG. 22 has a timer 12 (on-delay timer) to delay the operational output of the ground fault forward detecting element 21 for confirming the operation. Thus, the directional ground relay may be used as a backup relay. The numeral "13" denotes the trip command output signals for phases A, B and C.
FIG. 23 shows another example of a logic sequence circuit which makes a quick trip when the ground fault forward detecting element 21 is activated and a permission signal is received. In FIG. 23, the permission signal is received by a permission signal receiving unit 14, and the output of the unit 14 and the output of the timer 12 are received by an "AND" gate circuit 36. The output of the "AND" gate circuit 36 is sent out as the trip command output signal for each phase 13. The output of the timer 12 is sent to a remote terminal via a permission signal sending unit 18.
When the directional ground relay shown in FIGS. 22 or 23 is used for tripping, the setting time of the delay timer 12 for operational confirmation is set to zero second. When the directional ground relay is used as a backup relay, the setting time of the delay timer 12 is typically set to hundreds mili-seconds to several seconds.
The directional ground relay described above utilizes zero-phase sequential current Io and zero-phase sequential voltage Vo. It may decide the fault direction even at a high-resistance ground fault, but it may not decide the faulty phase. However, since the fault current is small at a high-resistance ground fault, tripping all phases including healthy phases at same time as the faulty phase would affect the whole power system more severely than letting the fault continuing. Thus, when a circuit breaker is tipped for a high-resistance ground fault, only the faulty phase should be tripped. Besides, when the ground resistance is very high, zero-phase sequential voltage Vo may be very small, and the fault direction may not be decided.


A method and apparatus for translating source code written in one computer language to source code written in another language wherein translated static fragments are generated in the face of textual inconsistencies. Exactly one target language definition of each source language static fragment is generated and the differences are encapsulated in new parameters.

This invention relates to automated translation between high-level computer programming languages.
This invention relates particularly to improved preservation in a target high-level computer language of invocation expressions and preprocessor characteristics (such as macros, source file inclusion structure, and commentary) contained in a source high-level computer language.
High-level computer languages enable computer programmers to communicate with computers. Statements programmers write in a computer language form a computer program which in turn instructs a computer to perform a set of tasks. "Compilation" is the process of converting high-level computer language programs into instructions, generally called machine code, which the computer can understand and execute. A compiler is a computer program which performs this translation.
In general, each brand of computer understands a different set of machine code instructions. Therefore, a different compiler must exist for each computer to translate a high-level computer language. Because compilers for every high-level computer language do not exist for every brand of computer, not every program can execute on every machine. Programmers can only write programs in the languages for which compilers exist for their target computers.
Nonetheless, it is highly desirable to have a single computer program run on as many brands of computers as possible. Application programs are typically complex and difficult to write; rewriting programs in multiple languages to run on multiple brands of computers is impractical. Likewise, compilers are difficult to write; providing them for every language for every brand of computer is equally impractical. One way of addressing these problems has been the development of well known, widely used, standardized high-level languages. Compilers for these languages are available for a wide variety of computers.
The development of standardized languages has not been a complete solution. There exist numerous high-level languages, and many large programs written in them, which are exotic, highly specialized, little used, obsolete, or designed for specific computers. Many computers do not have compilers available for these languages.
Because many high-level computer languages, whether or not they are standardized, cannot be compiled on every computer, programs must be translated to other languages. While translation can be done by hand, it is a laborious, time consuming, and expensive process prone to error. To address this problem, automatic translators have been and continue to be developed to translate programs written in one high-level language to another.
Automatic translators may be used in either of two distinct strategies to solve the problem of an unavailable compiler for a particular language on a particular computer. First, programmers may continue to write and maintain programs in the original source language. The translator converts these programs into intermediate code in a target language. An available compiler for the target language then converts this intermediate code into machine code which the target computer can understand. Although the target language is usually a standard, widely available language, the translator does not have to produce readable or maintainable source code.
The second strategy requires a translator to produce readable and maintainable code. Programmers going this route want to abandon the original language in favor of the target. Building this type of translator is a more difficult task and is the focus of this invention.
Prior art attempts to build translators which produce readable code have had differing goals and various levels of success. Syntax of some high-level languages has been successfully transformed into syntax of other high-level languages. Some translators have produced attractively formatted target code. While source code comments have been migrated to target code, their placement has not always been optimal. Translators have also attempted to transform the style of programs to make them more readable. Others have used knowledge-based systems to extract the meaning of the source program and rewrite it in the target language.
However, prior art translators fail to preserve programming constructs known as preprocessor characteristics. Many high-level languages include a preprocessor language separate from but coexisting with the language itself. Characteristics of the preprocessor language may include a conditional compilation mechanism, a macro mechanism, a source inclusion mechanism, a variety of compiler directives, and a comment mechanism. Some of the preprocessor features allow programmers to use shorthand invocation expressions for longer constructs. Thus, invoking the shorthand expression triggers a text substitution when the source code is run through the preprocessor.
The ancestor application Ser. No. 08/319,682 describes a method for translation of text substitution preprocessor characteristics. One important aspect of the method described therein is that the text invoked by invocation expressions (for example, text included from another file, text that is the body of an expanded macro, macro actual parameter text that has been substituted in place of a macro formal parameter) must be translated in its context of use. These substitution text sources are called "static fragments". The static fragments cannot be translated immediately at their points of definition because even if the text could be parsed, semantic analysis is not possible. Static fragments are, therefore, translated after their invocations have been expanded and analyzed in their contexts of use.
It is possible that the source language text associated with an invocation expression might translate to different target language text in different contexts of use. A textual mismatch might occur, for example, when type compatibility rules are more strict in the target language than in the source language, requiring a type cast where none appeared in the source language. If the type cast were different in different contexts of use, a textual mismatch would occur.
A source-to-source translator must select a strategy for generating translated static fragments in the face of textual inconsistencies. One possible method is to generate more than one target language definition of the static fragment. This strategy presents readability and maintainability problems; a single point of definition is desirable.

Method and apparatus for reconciling conflicting translations by factoring and parameterizing differences


A memory device is provided. The memory device includes a matrix of memory cells adapted to store data and arranged in a plurality of bit lines, the bit lines extending along a first direction; a page buffer adapted to interface the matrix with a downstream circuitry, the page buffer comprising a plurality of read/program units. Each read/program unit is associated with at least one bit line. The memory device further includes at least two groups each including at least two respective read/program units, wherein the read/program units of a generic one of said groups are generically aligned along the first direction. Each group comprises at least one signal track shared by the at least two read/program units of the group.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of solid-state memories, particularly to semiconductor memories and, even more particularly, to the field of non-volatile memories. Specifically, the invention relates to non-volatile memories that are electrically programmable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Non-volatile memories are commonly used in several applications when the data stored in the memory device need to be preserved even in absence of power supply. Within the class of non-volatile memories, electrically programmable (and erasable) memories, such as flash memories, have become very popular in applications in which the data to be stored are not immutable (as it might be case of, e.g., a consolidated code for a microprocessor), being instead necessary from time to time to store new data, or to update the data already stored.
Typically, the memory device includes an arrangement of memory cells, disposed for example in rows and columns, so as to form a matrix.
Depending on the way the memory cells in the matrix are interconnected, two classes of flash memories can be identified: those having a so-called NOR architecture, or NOR flash memories, and those having a so-called NAND architecture, shortly referred to as NAND flash memories. Roughly speaking, in a NOR architecture the memory cells of a same matrix column are connected in parallel to a same bit line, whereas in a NAND architecture groups of memory cells of a same matrix column are serially interconnected so as to form respective strings, which strings are then connected in parallel to each other to a same bit line.
Compared to NOR flash memories, NAND flash memories are more compact (a lower number of contacts in the matrix are required), and they are also better suited for applications such as file storage.
In the NAND architecture, the memory space is ideally partitioned into a plurality of memory pages, each page corresponding to a block of memory cells that, in operation, are read or written simultaneously, i.e., in parallel to each other. The number of memory cells in each block determines the size (i.e., the number of bits) of the memory page. Nowadays, memory pages of 8192 cells are rather typical, but larger memory pages are also encountered, for example of 16384 cells.
Clearly, the memory cannot have so high a number of Input/Output (I/O) terminals as to enable transferring in parallel so long data words; usually, eight or sixteen I/O terminals are in fact provided; thus, some kind of "segmentation" of the memory page is necessary for interfacing the memory with the outside world.
To this purpose, a circuit arrangement called "page buffer" is provided in the memory for managing the operations of reading the information stored in the memory cells of a selected memory page, or writing new information thereinto. In very general terms, the page buffer includes a buffer register of size equal to that of the memory page, wherein data read (in parallel) from the memory cells of a selected page are temporarily stored, before being serially outputted in chunks of, e.g., eight or sixteen bits, depending on the number of I/O terminals of the memory; similarly, when data are to be written into the memory, the page buffer is replenished with data received serially in said eight- or sixteen-bits chunks, and, when the buffer has eventually been filled, the data are written in parallel into the memory cells of a given, selected memory page.
The page buffer includes a relatively high number of volatile storage elements, typically bi stable elements or latches, in a number corresponding to the number of memory cells of the memory page.
The basic operations that usually are performed on the memory cells are a "page read" (an operation involving reading data from a selected memory page), a "page program" (writing data into a selected memory page), and an "erase" operation, wherein the storing of the memory cells is erased.
The page buffer typically includes a plurality of read/program units, each one associated with, and operatively couplable to a respective plurality of bit lines, e.g., a pair of bit lines.
From a layout point of view, because of space constraints, it is practically impossible to position the different read/program units directly in correspondence of the corresponding pair of bit lines. In fact, the pitch of a pair of bit lines is much lower than the pitch of the corresponding single read/program unit (which typically includes several transistors).
For this reason, groups of more than one read/program unit, for example four read/program units, may be positioned in a sort of stack along the direction of the bit lines, in the pitch of a corresponding number of, e.g. four pairs of bit lines.
This solution may pose problems in terms of routing of the conductive tracks necessary to bring signals into/out of the read/program units.

Semiconductor memory device with a page buffer having an improved layout arrangement


An air-fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, including fuel cut state detection means for detecting the state of fuel cut in which the feed of fuel into the internal combustion engine is stopped, and catalyst deterioration decision means for deciding the deterioration of a catalyst on the basis of a period which is expended since the detection of the release of the state of the fuel cut by the fuel cut state detection means, until the output value of a second air-fuel ratio sensor agrees with a predetermined reset decision value near a target value, and the manipulation quantity of an average air-fuel ratio on the upstream side of the catalyst as is based on second air-fuel ratio feedback control means. Thus, the deterioration of the catalyst can be decided at a high precision.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an air-fuel ratio control apparatus for an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a catalyst converter including a ternary catalyst which simultaneously purifies HC, CO and NOx in exhaust gas is disposed in the exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. With the catalyst in the catalyst converter, purification rates heighten for all of the components HC, CO and NOx near a theoretical air-fuel ratio. Usually, therefore, an O2 sensor is disposed on the upstream side of the catalyst, and an air-fuel ratio is controlled on the basis of the detection value of the upstream-side O2 sensor so as to become near the theoretical air-fuel ratio.
The upstream-side O2 sensor which is disposed on the upstream side of the catalyst is located in that place of an exhaust system which is as close to the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine as possible, that is, at the aggregate part of an exhaust manifold in the upstream of the catalyst. Accordingly, the upstream-side O2 sensor is exposed to a high exhaust temperature and is poisoned with various harmful substances, so that the output characteristic thereof fluctuates greatly. In order to compensate the fluctuation of the output characteristic, therefore, a double O2 sensor system has already been proposed. In the system, a downstream-side O2 sensor is disposed on the downstream side of the catalyst, and a second air-fuel ratio feedback control based on the downstream-side O2 sensor is performed in addition to a first air-fuel ratio feedback control based on the upstream-side O2 sensor (refer to, for example, Patent Document 1 being JP-A-63-195351, and Patent Document 2 being JP-A-6-42387).
In such a prior-art air-fuel ratio control apparatus for the internal combustion engine, the downstream-side O2 sensor is lower in response rate than the upstream-side O2 sensor, but it has merits as stated below. The downstream-side O2 sensor is little influenced by heat because an exhaust temperature is low on the downstream side of the catalyst, and it is little poisoned because the various harmful substances have been trapped by the catalyst, so that the fluctuation of the output characteristic of the downstream-side O2 sensor is small. Further, since the exhaust gas is mixed more on the downstream side of the catalyst, the purification state of the catalyst located upstream of the downstream-side O2 sensor can be detected stably.
Besides, in accordance with the prior-art air-fuel ratio control apparatus for the internal combustion engine as employs the double O2 sensor system, the air-fuel ratio of the upstream side with respect to the catalyst is corrected, and the output of the downstream-side O2 sensor is maintained at a target value, whereby the fluctuation of the output characteristic of the upstream-side O2 sensor can be compensated, and the purification state of the catalyst can be held favorable.
Further, the catalyst is endowed with an oxygen storage capability in order to absorb the temporary fluctuation of the upstream-side air-fuel ratio from the theoretical air-fuel ratio. That is, in a case where the air-fuel ratio is on a lean side with respect to the theoretical air-fuel ratio, the catalyst accepts and accumulates oxygen contained in the exhaust gas, and in a case where the air-fuel ratio is on a rich side, the catalyst emits the oxygen accumulated therein. In this manner, the catalyst acts like a filter or means for averaging the air-fuel ratio, and the fluctuation of the air-fuel ratio on the upstream side is averaged within the catalyst and becomes the air-fuel ratio of the downstream side of the catalyst.
Besides, the upper limit value of an oxygen storage quantity is determined by the quantity of a substance which has the oxygen storage capability and which is added at the manufacture of the catalyst. Accordingly, when the oxygen storage quantity has reached its upper limit value or its lower limit value "0", the catalyst can no longer absorb the fluctuation of the upstream-side air-fuel ratio, the air-fuel ratio within the catalyst deviates from the theoretical air-fuel ratio, and the purification capability of the catalyst degrades. On this occasion, the air-fuel ratio of the downstream side deviates greatly from the theoretical air-fuel ratio, and hence, the saturation of the oxygen storage quantity to the upper limit value or the lower limit value "0" can be detected.
The purification rates of the catalyst for all the components HC, CO and NOx in the exhaust gas become high near the theoretical air-fuel ratio, and they become the highest in a case where the oxygen storage quantity of the catalyst is about half of the upper limit value thereof. Besides, the catalyst oxygen storage quantity intermediate between the upper limit value and the lower limit value can be detected on the basis of the minute change thereof near the theoretical air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel ratio on the downstream side. Therefore, the purification rates of the catalyst can be kept high in such a way that the oxygen storage quantity is controlled to about the half of the upper limit value by controlling the output of the downstream-side O2 sensor to the target value.
In general, during fuel cut for which fuel feed into the internal combustion engine is stopped, the air-fuel ratio of the upstream side becomes sharply lean. Accordingly, the oxygen storage quantity of the catalyst increases rapidly and arrives at the upper limit value, and the purification characteristic of the catalyst worsens drastically. Therefore, the purification characteristic of the catalyst needs to be recovered in such a way that, after the restart of the fuel feed, the oxygen storage quantity of the catalyst is reset to the appropriate quantity being about the half of the upper limit value, as quickly as possible.
Besides, since the catalyst in the catalyst converter is exposed under the exhaust gas temperature of the high temperature, it is designed so that its function may not abruptly degrade under service conditions which are usually considered for a vehicle. However, in a case where the exhaust gas temperature has become abnormally high for any cause, for example, misfire during the running of the internal combustion engine, the upper limit value of the oxygen storage quantity of the catalyst lowers conspicuously. Besides, even under the usual service conditions, when the travel distance of the vehicle reaches several tens-of-thousands kilometers, the upper limit value of the oxygen storage quantity lowers gradually due to the secular change of the catalyst. Accordingly, the lowering of the upper limit value of the oxygen storage quantity attributed to the deterioration of the catalyst correlates with the degradation of the exhaust gas purification performance of the catalyst, and the deterioration of the catalyst can be detected by detecting the lowering of the upper limit value of the oxygen storage quantity. When the deterioration of the catalyst proceeds, environmental pollution is incurred. It is therefore necessary to detect the deterioration of the catalyst exceeding an allowable range and to notify the deterioration to a user by an alarm lamp or the like, whereby the user is prompted to exchange the catalyst.
FIGS. 19A and 19B are characteristic diagrams each showing the change of the output V2 of the downstream-side O2 sensor, and FIG. 19A corresponds to a case where the catalyst is normal, while FIG. 19B corresponds to a case where the catalyst has been deteriorated. In the case of the deteriorated catalyst shown in FIG. 19B, as compared with the case of the normal catalyst shown in FIG. 19A, a time period in which the output V2 of the downstream-side O2 sensor is reset to the target value after the point of time t1 of the release of a fuel cut state for cutting the fuel feed becomes shorter as the upper limit value of the oxygen storage quantity of the catalyst decreases more due to the deterioration of the catalyst. The reason therefor is that the variation of oxygen storage required for being reset from the upper limit value to about the half of this upper limit value decreases with the decrease of the upper limit value of the oxygen storage quantity, so the resetting time period shortens with the same air-fuel ratio control. Therefore, an apparatus wherein the resetting time period in which the output V2 of the downstream-side O2 sensor is reset to the target value since the point of time t1 of the release of the fuel cut is measured, thereby to render the deterioration decision of the catalyst, has already been proposed (refer to, for example, Patent Document 3 being JP-A-2-33408 or Patent Document 4 being JP-A-2-136538).
The prior-art apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 3 or 4 utilizes the arrival of the catalyst oxygen storage quantity at the upper limit value by the fuel cut, and it has a full set of conditions before the start of a deterioration diagnosis and need not perform any special air-fuel ratio control such as leaning the upstream-side air-fuel ratio, before the start of the diagnosis. Besides, while NOx emission is apprehended to increase in case of performing the leaning, the apparatus has the merit that the increase of the NOx emission is not apprehended during the fuel cut. Further, the apparatus diagnoses the catalyst deterioration by utilizing the behavior that the output of the downstream-side O2 sensor is reset to the target value automatically by the second air-fuel ratio feedback control, and it need not perform any special air-fuel ratio control such as enriching the upstream-side air-fuel ratio during the diagnosis. Besides, when the enrichment is made, it is apprehended that the catalyst oxygen storage quantity will be saturated to the lower limit value, and that the emission of the components HC and CO will increase. Since, however, the second air-fuel ratio feedback control is utilized, the worsening of the exhaust gas is not incurred.
With such a prior-art apparatus, the precision of the deterioration decision of the catalyst is high in a case where the behavior of the second air-fuel ratio feedback control is the same every time, or under such an identical condition that an idling running continues after the release of the fuel cut. However, the apparatus has had the problem that the precision of the deterioration decision of the catalyst worsens sharply in a case where the gain of the second air-fuel ratio feedback control has changed, or in a case where a running condition has fluctuated in such a manner that the vehicle is accelerated or decelerated after the release of the fuel cut. The problem is ascribable to the fact that the behavior of the oxygen storage quantity of the catalyst cannot be precisely represented merely by a time period measurement.
Besides, the changing speed of the oxygen storage quantity in the catalyst is proportional to the deviation of the upstream-side air-fuel ratio from the theoretical air-fuel ratio and a suction air quantity. Therefore, in a case where the manipulation quantity of the upstream-side air-fuel ratio from the theoretical air-fuel ratio has been changed by the change of the gain of the second air-fuel ratio feedback control, the changing speed of the oxygen storage quantity changes, and hence, the resetting time period increases or decreases to degrade the deterioration decision precision. Further, in a case where the suction air quantity has been changed by the acceleration or deceleration, the changing speed of the oxygen storage quantity changes, and hence, the resetting time period increases or decreases to degrade the deterioration decision precision.
Besides, in a case where a λ (lamda) O2 sensor whose output changes abruptly near the theoretical air-fuel ratio is employed as the upstream-side O2 sensor, the deviation of the upstream-side air-fuel ratio from the theoretical air-fuel ratio cannot be detected on account of the two-valued characteristic of the λ O2 sensor. Therefore, the apparatus has had such a problem that the behavior of the oxygen storage quantity of the catalyst cannot be calculated by considering also the air-fuel ratio of the upstream side.

Air-fuel ratio control apparatus for internal combustion engine


Data values are encoded for transmission to a recipient on a communication channel. Performance information associated with the encoding or the communication channel is obtained and used at least in part to determine quantization factors used in the encoding. The data values can be scaled based on the quantization factors and ordered based on a probability factor. A portion of the data values can be selected based on content. A code table can be selected based on a variation of the data values, where the code table specifies codewords including at least one of bits representative of a divisor, bits representative of a remainder, and a bit representative of a sign. Codewords can be generated for the data values using the code table. The encoded data values can be transmitted to a recipient where the data values are decoded using a decoder.

Entropy encoding is a data compression scheme that assigns codes to symbols so as to match code lengths with the probabilities of the symbols. Typically, entropy encoders are used to compress data by replacing symbols represented by equal-length codes with symbols represented by codes where the length of each codeword is proportional to the negative logarithm of the probability. Therefore, the most common symbols use the shortest codes.
Two of the most common entropy encoding techniques are Huffman coding and arithmetic coding. If the approximate entropy characteristics of a data stream are known in advance, a simpler static code may be useful. These static codes include universal codes (e.g., Elias gamma coding, Fibonacci coding) and Golomb codes (e.g., unary coding, Rice coding).
Golomb coding uses a tunable parameter M to divide an input value N (e.g., a number to be encoded) into a quotient q and a remainder r. The quotient q can be sent to a decoder in unary coding, followed by the remainder r in truncated binary encoding or other variable-length binary encodings (e.g., arithmetic, Huffman encodings).
Rice coding is a special case of Golomb coding and is equivalent to Golomb coding where the tunable parameter M is a power of two. Thus Rice coding can be efficiently implemented on digital devices, since the division operation becomes a bitshift operation and the remainder operation becomes a bitmask operation. Rice coding is used as the entropy encoding stage in a number of lossless image compression and audio data compression methods.
Several techniques exist for selecting a tunable parameter M (i.e., the divisor) that works best for the data to be encoded. For example, one technique adjusts the value of the tunable parameter dynamically during encoding based on the data size. Such a technique, however, may not be optimal for the particular application for which the technique is being used. One example of such an application would be screen sharing in a video conferencing application where the shared screen is to be compressed and sent to a recipient. Such an application often has low bandwidth and fast screen changes which requires the compression coding of the shared screen to be fast and efficient.


Camouflage covering fabricated by the method of attaching dyed jute strands to netting, wherein the netting is placed over an individual or object to be camouflaged. The covering may be formed as an integral garment, such as a hooded poncho, or may be attached to clothing such as a battle dress uniform (BDU) to form a ghillie suit. The covering may be draped over an object such as a weapon, vehicle, equipment, or supplies. The present invention allows for quick, cost-effective creation of realistic three-dimensional camouflage coverings and apparel that are easily portable, naturally frayed in appearance, and securely assembled without the use of loops or snaps.

The present invention relates generally to camouflaging and, more specifically, to a multi-use camouflage covering and method of manufacture.
Many settings such as hunting and military operations require the use of camouflage clothing and coverings to assist the user from being detected by an animal, opponent, or adversary. Camouflage covering is utilized not only to disguise individuals, but is often used to cloak supplies, equipment, vehicles, weapons, and the like.
The most advantageous concealment apparel possesses a natural, three-dimensional camouflage effect. Such a disguise efficiently blends with background objects and foliage to obscure the wearer or the covered object, making him or it imperceptible to the observer.
Many attempts have been made to design a suitable and effective camouflage covering. Examples of such camouflage covers may be found by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 1,817,871 to Brandt; U.S. Pat. No. 2,278,898 to Strathmore; U.S. Pat. No. 2,351,142 to Mitchell; U.S. Pat. No. 2,354,765 to Meyer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,364,289 to Hale; U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,124 to Green; U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,848 to Shamblin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,460 to Cox; and, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,659 to Tibljas. In view of the present invention, however, these devices are seen to be variously disadvantageous.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,278,898, for example, discloses a three-dimensional alternative configuration assembled on a wire base. This type of camouflage covering is constructed of teased and dyed steel wool secured to a base of chicken wire. While a marginally effective three-dimensional screen, the wire-type construction poses a hindrance to portability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,460 discloses strips of nylon attached to a mesh base designed to be worn as a poncho. The strips are sewn or glued at one end and the other end swings freely. One disadvantage of the sewing attachment method is the time involved in sewing each individual strip to the mesh base. While gluing may be faster, glued strips are likely not held as securely as sewn strips; thus, an advantage saved in time may be offset by the disadvantage of potential strip loss. Another disadvantage is the strips themselves. The strips are formed from pieces of fabric which have a tendency to bunch up in use; thereby, allowing the wearer to be distinguished from his surroundings. In the past, this disadvantage has been endured with the belief that through repeated usage, the edges will begin to fray creating a more realistic look. However, using a disguise that is not realistic, even for a limited period of time, may be unacceptable in many situations.
An alternative variation, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,848, utilizes a base of traditional camouflage battle dress uniform (BDU) in lieu of mesh. This provides a more comfortable disguise; however, the patented device uses snaps to attach bound and fringed strips to the underlying BDU. Unfortunately, snaps may become disengaged if pulled inadvertently, dented from use and no longer able to close properly; and/or pull free of the base fabric creating a hole therein and necessitating repair. Furthermore, the form of the bound and frayed strips is seen to be disadvantageous in appearance, in that coverage by the frayed portions may not be adequate in length, distribution, or orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,659 describes a ghillie suit, wherein the disadvantage of high cost is lessened through a self-described easy and efficient method of manufacture. The suit is constructed on a camouflage base with a matrix of loop members mounted thereon. The loop members are intended to serve the same function as the previously discussed strips. The reported advantage of easy manufacture may be achieved by the method of attachment, that is, gluing or sewing the loops to the base web. However, the same attachment method that saves time creates disadvantages. The attached looping design prevents the fabric from fraying. This inhibits the realistic nature of the disguise. Furthermore, loops inherently hook around and catch on surrounding branches and brush. These disadvantages directly effect the successful concealment of an individual.
It is, therefore, readily apparent that there is a need for camouflage covering and apparel which will allow for quick, cost-effective creation of realistic three-dimensional camouflage covering that is easily portable, naturally frayed in appearance, and securely assembled without the use of loops or snaps; thus, preventing the above-discussed disadvantages.
Briefly described, in a preferred embodiment, the present invention overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages, and meets the recognized need for such a device, by providing an apparatus and method of manufacture which will allow for quick, cost-effective creation of realistic three-dimensional camouflage covering and apparel that is easily portable, naturally frayed in appearance, and securely assembled without the use of loops or snaps.
According to its major aspects and broadly stated, the present invention in one embodiment is camouflage covering fabricated by the method of tying strands of jute, in the form of twine or thread, to netting. The netting may be formed into an integrally formed garment, such as a poncho, or may be overlaid or attached to clothing or common military camouflage uniforms.
In one form, the present device can be overlaid on a coat and/or pants, such as a battle dress uniform (BDU). Preferably, an additional piece of camouflage fabric is attached to the back outer shoulder surface of the BDU coat to provide a face flap, or hood. Fabric netting is placed on the exterior surface of the BDU and face flap, and is trimmed to cover the face flap and fully surround the arm, leg and torso regions.
Forming a grid-like pattern covering the suit, the netting is preferably sewn to the BDU with non-scented waxed dental floss, and secured to the BDU at each net corner knot. Preferably, an adhesive is applied over the sewn knots to further secure the attachment.
Preferably, four to eight pounds of jute strand is cut to lengths of 18 to 24 inches. The strands may be dyed at this stage, or, alternatively, may be dye-processed in full garment form, as described more fully below. Dye colors are chosen to best approximate the brush, terrain, and season of the ghillie suit""s intended use. A preferred camouflage color arrangement includes four colors, with approximately two-thirds of the cut jute strand dyed a predominant base color, and the remaining cut jute strand, in preferably even proportions, dyed in three accessory colors.
Small groups of base color jute strand cuttings, preferably four to five strands, are tied to one side, or to each of the four sides, of each net square on the grid that is sewn and glued to the BDU. Preferably, each jute strand grouping is tied at the midpoint of either one side or of each of the four sides of each net square. Preferably, each jute strand grouping is aligned and each knot is centered so as to create equal hanging lengths. After the entire suit is covered with the base color jute strand cuttings in the aforementioned arrangement, the accessory color jute strand cuttings may be added.
The accessory color jute strand cuttings are tied to the net squares on the grid that is sewn and glued to the BDU, to which the base color jute strand cuttings are tied. The arrangement of the accessory color jute strand groupings is variable with respect to the base color jute strand cuttings. Preferably, each accessory color jute strand grouping is aligned and each knot is centered so as to create equal hanging lengths. Each accessory color jute strand grouping is tied adjacent to a base color jute strand grouping on one of the four sides of a net square until adequate coverage and overall color variation is obtained.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a netting is formed into an integrally formed garment, such as a hooded poncho. Advantageously of this form, the front torso portion may be removed along the lower sleeve seam line, resulting in a poncho-style ghillie suit adapted for use in crawling along the ground. A similar effect can, of course, be had with the BDU-attached ghillie suit.
The process of the present invention further provides that the jute strands may be attached in their natural color, and dyed at a later stage in the assembly. In such alternative dying process, the entire device is dyed with a base color and allowed to dry. Subsequently, various other colors are sprayed on the garment, in random fashion or according to a preferred pattern, in order to achieve the desired camouflage appearance.
Other embodiments of the device of the present invention are contemplated wherein the base net is cut and dimensioned to cover various sized objects such as a weapon, a foxhole, a vehicle, or the like.
Thus, an object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a camouflage covering or ghillie suit which is quickly and cost-effectively fabricated.
Another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a realistic three-dimensional camouflage covering or ghillie suit.
Yet another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a naturally frayed camouflage covering or ghillie suit through the use of jute strand.
Still another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a camouflage covering or ghillie suit that may be trimmed for a custom fit.
Yet still another object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a camouflage covering or ghillie suit that is securely assembled without the use of snaps.
Another and further object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a poncho-style ghillie suit without a front torso region that is suitable for crawling on the ground.
Still another and further object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a camouflage covering or ghillie suit that is light weight, comfortable to wear, and convenient to fold and roll for insertion into a backpack or other carrying container.
Yet still another and further object, feature, and advantage of the present invention is to provide a method of quickly and cost-effectively creating camouflage covering and ghillie suits.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to one skilled in the art from the following description and claims when read in light of the accompanying drawings.

Camouflage covering and method of manufacture


Compositions and methods for inducing hair growth and improving hair quality utilizing extracts of Cotinus coggygria in an amount effective to induce hair growth when applied topically to an area of the skin on which hair growth is desired.

Genetic disposition as well as the natural aging process and/or disease contribute to hair loss and slower hair growth in both males and females. Approximately 50% of the population displays this trait to some degree by the age of 50, where thinning of the hair can begin between 12 and 40 years of age independent of gender (Otberg N et al. Androgenetic alopecia. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2007; 36(2)379-398 and Price V H. Androgenetic alopecia in women. Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 2003; 8 (1): 24-27). Thus, agents able to stimulate hair growth as well as prevent and slow down or reduce hair loss could be beneficial not only as a cure for alopecia but also as positively affect the psychosocial events associated with hair disorders. Studies reveal psychosocial impact with hair loss to include body image dissatisfaction associated with negative stereotypes such as feeling older, weaker and less attractive (S. Pickard-Holley, The symptom experience of alopecia. Sem. Oncol. Nurs. 1995; 11:235-238).
Drugs, including Minoxidil (Rogaine), Finasteride (Propecia) and Dutasteride (Avodart) are approved treatments for hair loss. However, they require medical prescription, and are active only on a certain percent of the population. Moreover, some of these drugs are not permitted to be used by females because of hormonal effects. Premenopausal women should not take Finesteride due to the risk of male pseudo-hermaphroditism to the fetus (Science 1974; 186:1213-5; US package insert for Propecia® (finasteride 1 mg tablets)). In addition, a one-year, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized, multicenter trial has shown that Finasteride did not improve scalp hair growth in postmenopausal women (Price et al. Lack of efficacy of finasteride in postmenopausal women with androgenetic alopecia, J Am Acad Dermatol, November 2000:768-776). Finasteride was found recently to lower artificially the results of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, the standard screening test for prostate cancer which can delay the detection and the treatment of the disease (http://healthorbit.ca/NewsDetail.asp?opt=1&nltid=037041206).
Minoxidil is a drug that is effective in inducing hair growth for a small percentage of patients and will re-grow hair only on top of the scalp. Further, it has limited effect on older people. Minoxidil may slow the rate of hair loss in five out of ten male patients.
Other medical treatments available to treat hair loss include drastic surgical techniques such as scalp reduction, scalp flaps or follicular unit transplantation. These surgeries carry the risk of complications such as elevation of hairline associated with donor region, possibility of necrosis and unnatural appearance of hair growth direction, anesthesia and post-op care, not to mention high costs.
Herbal preparations that claim to induce hair growth (e.g. Hair Prime) are available at low cost but their effectiveness is very limited.
Cotinus coggygria has been suggested for use in anti-inflammatory, wound healing, antiseptic and astringent applications. See also copending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/973,313, 11/248,465, 11/313,079, 11/387,892 and Ser. No. 11,590,563 filed Oct. 31, 2006.
This extract is also used as a cholagogue, febrifuge and for eye ailments. Recent research shows that Cotinus coggygria syrup has the effect of protecting the liver from chemical damage, reducing tension of the choledochal sphincter, increasing bile flow and raising the body immunity. The anti-hepatitis effect of Cotinus coggygria may be carried out through the mechanisms of decreasing transaminase, normalizing functioning of the gallbladder, reducing icterus and 10 enhancing the immunity of the body.
Surprisingly, we have found that a concentrated, aqueous Cotinus coggygria extract can effectively induce hair growth when topically applied. We observed a potent increase in hair growth in vivo in all animals treated with a concentrated Cotinus coggygria extract. More surprisingly, the Cotinus extract induced hair growth faster than 5% Minoxidil.

Compositions and methods of inducing hair growth utilizing


This invention relates to a telecommunications system for transmitting multimedia messages from a first telecommunications terminal to a second telecommunications terminal via a telecommunications network. The inventive system comprises a message server provided for receiving the messages from the first terminal and for transmitting them to the second telecommunications terminal. The message server comprises means for developing a message broadcasting program to be downloaded by the second terminal for broadcasting the messages according to the characteristics of said second terminal.

The invention concerns telecommunications systems and in particular relates to transmitting multimedia messages from a first telecommunications terminal to a second telecommunications terminal by using a telecommunications network.
The invention in particular applies to transmitting messages to a mobile telephone set, but also generally to transmitting multimedia messages to any type of telecommunications terminal of the telephone set, personal assistant (PDA), microcomputer type, . . .
As conceivable, transmitting of multimedia messages, in particular towards mobile type telephone handsets or to personal assistants, generates problems for restoring messages to the extent that for reasons of bulkiness, man-machine interfaces with which such terminals are provided, do not allow the whole of the information contained in such messages to be clearly restored. This problem is increasingly posed when the message is elaborated from a microcomputer and is intended for a mobile cell telephone. Indeed, in this case, the message must be converted into a format compatible with the end terminal in order to be able to suitably restore the whole of the information contained in the message.
Moreover, implementation of a multimedia messaging service MMS, which allows the users of mobile units to receive or send messages which may contain text, images and sound, involves the use of software client stored onboard the mobile unit in order to load and restore messages. Now, such a client is difficult to develop. A given version of the client MMS supports the whole of the provided functionalities. In the case of adding new functionalities to the MMS service, a user carrying a mobile set in which a preceding version of the client MMS is loaded, will not be able to benefit from the new functionalities. In addition, in the case of failure of the onboard software client expressed by faulty operations, it is difficult to correct these faults from a distance.
Finally, there are different implementations of client MMSes, so that it is not possible to provide the guarantee to the originator that the message which he/she has composed, will exactly be displayed in the same way on all the mobiles to which his/her MMS message is addressed.
In view of the above, the object of the invention is to provide a method for a telecommunications system with which the aforementioned drawbacks may be overcome.

System and method for transmitting a multimedia message


A method for managing cache memories includes providing a computerized system including a shared data storage system (CS) configured to interact with several local servers that serve applications using respective cache memories, and access data stored in the shared data storage system; providing cache data information from each of the local servers to the shared data storage system, the cache data information comprising cache hit data representative of cache hits of each of the local servers, and cache miss data representative of cache misses of each of the local servers; aggregating, at the shared data storage system, at least part of the cache hit and miss data received and providing the aggregated cache data information to one or more of the local servers; and at the local servers, updating respective one or more cache memories used to serve respective one or more applications based on the aggregated cache data information.

The invention relates in general to the field of computerized methods and systems for managing cache memories, in particular in a storage area network (SAN) environment.
A storage area network (SAN) is a dedicated network that provides access to consolidated, block level data storage. Such networks are primarily used to make storage devices (e.g., disk arrays or tape libraries) accessible to servers; so that these devices appear as locally attached to the operating system. A SAN typically has its own network of storage devices, which are generally not accessible through the local area network by other devices. A SAN does not provide file abstraction, only block-level operations. However, file systems built on top of SANs do provide file-level access (see e.g., Wikipedia contributors, 'Storage area network', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 21 May 2012).
More generally, there are several known environments wherein several, local application servers (i.e., using respective cache memories for serving respective applications), are configured to interact with a shared data storage system, so that they can access data stored on the shared storage pool. How such systems manage cache memory is typically implemented as follows: local cache misses are reported by the local servers to the shared data storage system; the latter provides the missing data, in response; and it further consolidates and uses the cache miss data received for caching/tiering purposes, i.e., data placement purposes.
This, for example, is what done in a SAN environment. Clearly, the shared data storage system plays a central role; it is therefore sometimes referred to as a "central system".
In a typical SAN environment, multiple application servers are connected to the shared data storage system via a standard block-level access interface (data are typically accessed in fixed size blocks of e.g., 512 to 528 bytes). The shared storage pool is managed by a SAN storage server, such as the IBM DS8000. The SAN storage server often uses large caches to increase system throughput and to reduce access latency, while, at the same time, each application server may use caches as well to increase the application agility in terms of I/O efficiency and to reduce consumption of the SAN server's bandwidth. As it can be realized, the caches at the application servers (also referred to as "local caches" hereafter) and the cache at the SAN storage server operate independently: there is no coordination among them. The same conclusion generally holds for more general system architecture as described above, i.e., wherein local application servers interact with a shared data storage system, to access data stored on the shared storage pool.

International Business Machines Corporation


A flange valve to deter entry of rodents and pests, insertable on existing devices, comprising a unidirectional swinging door attached on an inner wall of a frame, the door and the inner wall of the frame having a clearance between them of a dimension not allowing entry of rodents and pests. The design of the frame is catered to the desire of the user and may be a laterally protruding ring having a central circular opening and openings along the edges for the insertion of bolts or screws; a laterally protruding ring on one peripheral edge of an open cylindrical body; a cap having a flat top with a central circular opening and openings for the insertion of bolts and screws; a conduit; or a wax free toilet bowl gasket, a toilet flange or a wax ring used in the installation of toilet bowls.

This invention relates to a device, a flange valve, that prevents entry of rodents and other crawling harmful animals and bugs, hereinafter referred to as pests, into households and establishments from conduits outside or underneath the house or establishment especially those connecting to a toilet bowl where entry is more accessible because of the diameter of the conduit or piping. The flange valve of the claimed invention is adoptable to any size of conduit.
A significant number of rodents and pests thrive underground and transfer from one place to another through the plumbing that extends to the sewage system or connects one location to another. Points of entry into a household can be through the toilet bowl, urinals, showers, bath tub or sinks. These rodents and pests may carry diseases or physically harm furnitures and equipment after access.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a device that would prevent entry of rodents and pests through the toilet bowl, tubs and sinks.
It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a device that is unidirectional, allowing the exit of rodents, wastes and pests but not entry through the same device.
It is therefore a further object of this invention to provide deterring components on the device that would discourage or physically harm a rodent or pest attempting entry through the device.
It is therefore an even further object of this invention to provide a device that is easy to install and yet economically priced to encourage homeowners and owners of apartments and commercial buildings to install this device.


A two-dimensional array of a plurality of transducers comprising a first plurality of like sub-arrays (11, 11a, 11b) of transducers (10) in a circularly symmetric arrangement around a common centre (C), where the transducers in each sub-array of the first plurality have individual distances from the common centre that form a progressive series of distances with a first lower limit and a first upper limit. Each sub-array in the first plurality of sub-arrays comprises at least three transducers arranged on a first straight line (12), and the first straight line is offset laterally a first distance (d) from the common centre. The number of sub-arrays is odd, and the sub-arrays may be separate units that can be selectively assembled to form the two-dimensional array and selectively disassembled.

Such arrays of transducers are used as phased arrays for focusing the sensitivity of the array in a desired direction. Preferably, the array should be usable in a broad frequency range. Phased arrays are usable as receiving arrays, eg for locating a signal source or for producing a two-dimensional image of one or more point sources or distributed sources, or for selecting signals from a particular source and excluding or attenuating signals from other sources. Phased arrays are also usable as transmitting arrays, eg for target illumination with projected beams. Signals that can be handled, ie received or transmitted, by such arrays are wave-energy signals having wavelengths that are comparable to the dimensions of the array and/or to the distances between individual transducers in the array.
Examples of such wave energy are sound energy within the audible frequency range or infrasound or ultrasound, which are outside the audible frequency range. In case of sound energy, receiving transducers are referred to as microphones, and transmitting transducers are referred to as speaker transducers. Another example of wave energy is electromagnetic energy such as radio frequency (RF) energy that can be received or emitted by suitable antennas eg for mapping the RF landscape or for focusing on a fixed or moving source or target.
With a given number of transducer elements, ie sensors or emitters, in the array, it is often an objective when designing the array to obtain a non-redundant distribution of the transducer elements, and at the same time to obtain a broad usable frequency range, good suppression of side lobes and near circular symmetry. Circular symmetry is also referred to as rotational symmetry and means that through rotation of a fraction 1/n, where n is an integer, of 360 degrees the array will cover it self or be in an identical position. Non-redundancy means that no spacing vector between any two transducer-elements is repeated. A non-redundant array has the advantage that with the given number of elements the maximum number of distinct lags is sampled. Thus, a non-redundant array provides a near optimum array design with respect to spatial sampling characteristics of the array.
The maximum side lobe level in the beam pattern of an array is a measure of its ability to reject unwanted signals and noise and to focus on particular propagating signals. It is therefore important to achieve good side lobe suppression for the array.
Circular symmetry of the array is desirable, because otherwise the source map resolution or a projected beam tends to be azimuth angle dependent.
Prior art arrays have been designed in seeking to meet the above-mentioned requirements including irregular arrays such as random arrays and logarithmic spiral arrays.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,284 discloses an array of transducers arranged on a single logarithmic spiral having several turns.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,205,224 discloses a circularly symmetric planar array. Its transducer elements are arranged on a plurality of identical logarithmic spirals at locations where the spirals intersect concentric circles of specified diameters.
When carefully designed such arrays are fairly successful in meeting the requirements. However, due to their complicated geometry they are difficult both to manufacture and also to operate. Also, the need for high resolution in the far field can only be met with relatively large dimensions of the arrays. Thus, an array with a diameter of several meter is often required. In connection with outdoor applications it is therefore of practical importance that the array construction allows for easy assembly and disassembly at the site of use, and for easy transport.
It is the object of the invention to provide a planar array with a simple geometry, which, without compromising non-redundancy, circular symmetry or well-controlled side lobe suppression, allows easy manufacturing and operation.

Bruel and Kjaer Sound and Vibration Measurement A/S


The present invention provides a surface wave excitation plasma generator in which surface wave excitation plasma is efficiently generated. A surface wave excitation plasma generator including an annular waveguide and a dielectric tube is provided. The annular waveguide 2 includes an inlet 2a for introducing a microwave M, an end plate 2b for reflecting the microwave M introduced and propagating within the waveguide, and a bottom plate 2c on which slot antennas 2d are formed at a predetermined interval. When the wavelength of the microwave M in the waveguide is λg, the length from position b through positions c, d, e to position f on the bottom plate 2c, i.e. the circumferential length (π×D1) of the annular waveguide, is set as 2 λg, and the positions b, c, d, e, f are spaced apart at an interval of λg/2. Since the slot antennas 2d are arranged at two positions c and e, the interval between these two slot antennas 2d is equal to the wavelength λg in the waveguide.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface wave excitation plasma generator for generating surface wave excitation plasma by introducing microwave from a microwave generator, and a surface wave excitation plasma processing apparatus for performing chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or etching by utilizing the surface wave excitation plasma.
2. Description of Related Art
Surface wave plasma (SWP) is generated through the following ways. A microwave propagating in a microwave waveguide is introduced into a dielectric member through a slot antenna, and the plasma is excited by a surface wave generated on the surface of the dielectric member due to the microwave power to generate surface wave excitation plasma. For this kind of microwave waveguides, annular waveguides without ends but having a plurality of slot antennas disposed on the bottom plate thereof are already known in the art (for example, with reference to Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H05-345982 (Page 2, FIGS. 6 and 9).
Since the annular waveguide without ends disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes no end parts, the microwave propagating in the waveguide is disturbed; thus, a stable standing wave cannot be formed, and the phase of the standing wave and the relative positions between slot antennas become unfixed, so that the microwave power is focused on a specific slot antenna. Accordingly, the surface wave excitation plasma has a problem of low yield.

Surface wave excitation plasma generator and surface wave excitation plasma processing apparatus


A method of treating epidermolysis bullosa comprising administering to a subject suffering from epidermolysis bullosa an angiotensin (1-7) peptide is described. In some embodiments, methods of treating a complication of epidermolysis bullosa are described including administering to a subject suffering from one or more complications of epidermolysis bullosa an angiotensin (1-7) peptide, wherein the administration results in a reduction in the intensity, severity, duration, or frequency of at least one symptom or feature of the one or more complications of epidermolysis bullosa.

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB), refers to a group of inherited connective tissue disorders characterized in part by the formation of blisters after very minor trauma, even for no apparent cause. While the exact prevalence is unknown, it is estimated that EB is present at an incidence rate of approximately 1/50,000. The genetic basis of EB appears to be highly complex, with over 300 genetic mutations being implicated in the disease.

Methods and compositions for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa


A charge control apparatus operable in a first power mode or a second power mode having power consumption less than that of the first power mode, the charge control apparatus includes a main power supply, an auxiliary power supply, a charging unit, a time count unit, and a charge control unit, wherein the charge control unit controls the charging unit to switch from a first charge mode to a second charge mode upon detecting that the charging time counted by the time count unit is or larger than a predetermined time period in the first power mode, and wherein the charge control unit controls the charging unit to operate in the second charge mode when the charge control apparatus operates in the second power mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charge control apparatus and a method for controlling the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, as a known technology, an auxiliary power supply (such as a secondary power supply or secondary battery) is provided to make a backup of data stored in a volatile memory such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) installed in an electronic device in preparation for power-down of the device.
The auxiliary power supply is charged by a main power supply of the electronic device to accumulate electric charges before the main power supply is powered down. Then, the accumulated electric charges are discharged when the device is powered down. Since the auxiliary power supply has only a limited charge capacity, it may be overcharged if the charging is continued beyond its limit (i.e., in a fully charged state). This may cause an adverse effect on lifetime of the auxiliary power supply.
An example of technologies for avoiding such an overcharge is discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-56078. In this document, a fully-charged condition is detected by measuring a voltage of the auxiliary power supply, and an operation mode is switched to a trickle charge mode to reduce a current value for charging the auxiliary power supply.
Recently, a power-saving mode is widely employed, in which the power supplied to part of the device is cut off when no operation state lasts for a predetermined time period to save energy consumption in the device.
However, in the power-saving mode, the power supplied to a control unit (such as a central processing unit (CPU)) may be cut off. The control unit is configured to detect the fully-charged condition by measuring a voltage of the auxiliary power supply or detect whether a predetermined time period has lapsed after the charging starts. More specifically, the control unit may fail to detect the fully-charged condition or the time lapsed after the start of the charging, so that the auxiliary power supply may be continuously charged even when it is fully charged. As a consequence, the power supply becomes overcharged.

Charging control apparatus and method for controlling the same


A device for winding and locking collapsible tubes or like containers. This device involves a key-like assembly having at least one handle portion and a spindle about which the tube/container is to be wound. The handle portion also includes at least one flange or stop member that is itself flexible or is flexibly connected to the handle portion. The stop member provides for locking the wound portion of the tube/container on the spindle by resilient contact with the tube/container after being flexibly moved from one side to the other of the tube/container.

The prior art includes several devices for winding and/or locking tubular containers in order to assist in the dispensing of the materials contained therein. See e.g., Campbell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,570,204; Meyer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,291,344; Kahlow, U.S. Pat. No. 3,303,969; Namdari et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,251; Elias et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,314; Pearson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,645; Curtis, U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,771; Yanagisawa, U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,014; and Lee, U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,839.
As can be seen from the art, it has long been recognized that a distinct desideratum has existed for simplifying the extrusion of contents from a collapsible tube or like container (hereafter, "tube/container") by squeezing and winding-up the tube/container. Several devices, albeit complex, have been disclosed (see the above-cited references, for example) which provide for the squeezing and/or winding of a tube/container associated therewith. Moreover, the art also teaches that it is desirable to somehow maintain the wound portion of the tube/container in its wound-up disposition to prevent the migration or regression of the material contents backwards within the tube into the evacuated once-wound portion of the tube. This thereby alleviates the frustration of having to re-squeeze, re-wind and thereby re-empty the once-wound portion over and over again to fully dispense the contents from the tube/container. It also avoids when appropriate, the introduction of atmospheric elements into the tube with consequent possibly deleterious reactions with the principal contents. Hence, when a tube portion is squeezed and wound tight upon a spindle, the contents of that portion having been discharged therefrom, it is then advantageous to be able to lock the tube/container in this wound-up disposition and prevent content regression. It is primarily toward this desideratum that the present invention is directed.

Winding and locking device for collapsible tubes


The present invention provides a viewfinder including: a rail removably attached to an image pickup apparatus; a seat coupled to the rail so as to be movable in an extending direction of the rail; a display panel formed in a rectangle having left and right sides and upper and lower sides to have a display surface on which an image picked up by the image pickup apparatus is displayed; and a pair of left and right arms supporting the display panel on the seat.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a viewfinder and an image pickup apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Professional-use image pickup apparatuses used in broadcast stations have been provided which include a camera body adapted to pick up an image of a subject and produce a video signal, and a viewfinder attached to the camera body and provided with a display adapted to display video based on the video signal.
In recent years, viewfinders that have a rectangular plate-like display panel such as a liquid crystal display device or a plasma display device have been used as the viewfinders as mentioned above. See Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-23300.
The viewfinder is provided with an arm supporting a panel display on a camera body.
One end of the arm is connected to a turning member so as to be turnable around a lift axis perpendicular to a vertically extending pan axis. The turning member is provided on the camera body to turn around the pan axis.
In addition, the other end of the arm is connected to an upper portion of the rear surface of the display panel located oppositely to the display surface thereof so as to be turnable around a tilt axis parallel to the lift axis.
In this way, the arm can be pivoted around the lift axis to adjust the vertical position of the viewfinder. In addition, the viewfinder can be pivoted around the tilt axis to thereby adjust the orientation of the display surface of the viewfinder.


A head lamp device for a vehicle capable of changing a lighting region in front of the vehicle in right and left directions, in which change of the lighting region is suppressed so as not to give the driver a sense of incongruity when a steering wheel is operated in one direction and then rapidly in the other as in case of counter-steering. The device comprises a lighting region changing mechanism for changing the lighting region of the head lamp; a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle; a turning movement detector for detecting a turning movement of the vehicle body in right and left directions; a first lighting angle calculating mechanism for calculating a first lighting angle based on the steering angle detected by the steering angle sensor; a second lighting angle calculating mechanism for calculating a second lighting angle based on the turning movement detected by the turning movement detector; a lighting angle deciding mechanism for deciding a final lighting angle from the first lighting angle and the second lighting angle; and a controller for controlling the lighting region changing means to change the lighting region on the basis of the final lighting angle.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to light distribution control of a head lamp device for changing a lighting region in right and left directions.
2. Discussion of Relevant Art
Hitherto, various head lamp devices capable of changing a lighting region in right and left directions have been proposed. In almost of all of them, basically the lighting region of a head lamp is controlled to change in response to a steering angle of the steering wheel (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications No. Sho 62-77249, No. Hei 3-14742 etc.) and the lighting region of the head lamp is changed to a direction of the steering operation to increase a lighting amount in the direction to which the vehicle is just going to advance.
If the lighting angle is controlled in response to the steering angle only as above, when the steering operation is rapid, the lighting angle is also changed rapidly in response to rapid change of the steering angle so that the lighting region is swung in right and left directions and largely in a moment to give the driver a sense of incongruity.
When a vehicle goes around a curve, for example, if the steering wheel is turned through too large an angle as compared with the vehicle speed, or the road surface is in a slippery state such as a snowy road, sometimes the rear part of the vehicle projects outwardly such that it directs the vehicle inward too much. FIG. 8 shows such a state in which a vehicle 02 shown by the solid line is directed inward too much on a midway of a road curving to the right.
In such a case, if the steering wheel is left in the state turned to the right, the vehicle 02 turns round, however by reversing the turning direction of the steering wheel (counter-steering) the direction of the vehicle body can be recovered. In FIG. 8, therefore the steering wheel is turned to the left by counter-steering so that the front wheels 03 are directed leftward with respect to the vehicle body.
If the lighting region of the vehicle 02 is changed in response to the steering angle, before the steering wheel is reversed to the left direction, the region on the right side with respect to the front of the vehicle body is lighted as shown by the dotted line 04 in FIG. 8, and after the counter-steering, the lighting region is directed to the left side with respect to the front of the vehicle body as shown by the solid line 05.
As the counter-steering is carried out instantaneously, the lighting region is changed instantaneously from the region 04 to the region 05, and the rapid and large change of the lighting region gives the driver a sense of incongruity.


A cartridge has a multiple casing comprising an outer casing (1) with a front end piece (2) for receiving an application nozzle and an annular rear thrust wall (4) mounted slidingly in the outer casing (1), and at least one inner casing (5) with a front end piece (6) extending inside the end piece (2) of the outer casing (1) and a disc-shaped rear thrust wall. Shoulders and ribs (8, 14, 16) for connecting the two outer (1) and inner (5) casings together ensures their mutual locking in axial and radial positions. A drive assembly is structured like the cartridge. The invention is well suited to the application of sealing resins.

Such cartridges are often used for applying resins, sealing compounds or thermal and/or sound insulation compounds.
The sliding of the end wall of the cartridge is brought about by a piston which is operated directly by hand or, more commonly, which is an integral part of a manual operating appliance, in the form of a gun, and generally with a rack or friction advance.
Some products consist of several components which must be mixed, in given proportions, only at the time of application.
It has therefore already been proposed to store these products in multiple-casing cartridges, with an outer casing and at least one internal casing, a first component being stored between the outer casing and the inner casing and a second component inside the inner casing.
FR-A-81 04213 gives details of such a double-casing cartridge. In order to maintain the relative axial position of the two casings, the viscosities of the two components not being identical, and in order to ensure the concentric arrangement of the front openings of the two casings, as well as the channelling of the component from the outer casing to the application end piece, provision is made, on the end piece side, for a spacing and connecting piece and, on the end walls side, a rear stop dish.
The present invention first aims to dispense with this spacing piece and this rear stop.
DE-A-3 301 388 also teaches a tubular cartridge for storing and applying a non-solid product having a multiple casing comprising an outer casing with a front end piece for receiving an application nozzle and an annular rear thrust wall mounted slidingly in the outer casing, and at least one inner casing with a front end piece and a disc-shaped rear thrust wall, means for connecting the two outer and inner casings being provided for ensuring their mutual locking in axial and radial positions.
But the front end piece of the inner casing of this reference does not extend inside the front end piece of the outer casing. Thus, the cartridge of this reference cannot solve the problem of applying several components to be mixed only upon application and in given proportions.
The present invention thus relates to a tubular cartridge for storing and applying a non-solid product, of this last type, characterized by the fact that the front end piece of the inner casing extends inside the front end piece of the outer casing and the means of connection comprise, on one of the two casings, at least one snap-on rib, with a front portion for snapping on and rear locking and a rear portion for front locking and, on the other one of the two casings, two shoulders arranged to interact respectively with the two front and rear portions of the rib.
The invention offers the advantage of particularly simple production and assembly of the multiple-casing cartridge. FR-A-79 10957 also discloses details of a multiple-casing cartridge which is also provided, on the inner casing, with radial bracing ribs or fins preventing the inner casing from moving forwards, that is to say towards the end piece of the outer casing, and ensuring the mutual locking of the two casings in the radial position. However, these fins do not prevent the inner casing from moving towards the rear. Moreover the cartridge is described, in this document FR-A-79 10957, with a rear stop. With this removed, the risk of a backward movement of the inner casing can therefore exist.

Tubular cartridge for storing and applying a non-solid product, and a drive and thrust assembly for the cartridge

Societe de Prospection et d'Inventions Techniques (S.P.I.T.)


There is provided binoculars which include a pair of observation optical systems each having an objective optical system, an erecting optical system and an eyepiece optical system. The binoculars include a focusing mechanism that is used to move a part of observation optical systems for focusing, a convergence value compensating mechanism that compensates for a convergence value by displacing displaceable optical elements which are at least parts of the objective optical systems, respectively, in association with actuation of the focusing mechanism, and a light shielding mechanism configured to shield light for preventing light from entering through a clearance caused in accordance with displacement of the displaceable optical elements by actuation of the convergence value compensating mechanism.

The present invention relates to binoculars.
When an object at infinity is observed by a pair of binoculars, a field of view observed by a left eye of an observer and a field of view observed by the right eye substantially overlap each other, and a single field of view is observed when the observer observes the binoculars with both eyes. When an object at a relatively short distance of several meters or less is observed with the binoculars, only a part of the field of view for each of the right eye and left eye overlaps each other, and the observer feels difficulty in observing such an object. This is because, in binoculars, the optical axes of left and right objective lenses are generally fixed to be parallel to each other since the binoculars are generally designed to observe an object located within a range from several tens of meters to infinity. If an object at a short distance is observed with such binoculars, a remarkable discrepancy arises between a focusing condition corresponding to the object (which will be referred to as an adjustment value, i.e., a distance to an object to be focused, for example, represented by a unit of diopter [dptr]=[1/meter]) and convergence value (which is a distance at which a right sight line and a left sight line cross, for example, represented by metric angle [MW]=[1/meter]). When an object is observed at high magnifying power, an influence due to such discrepancy is remarkable. For example, with ten-power binoculars, the degree of discrepancy is ten times in comparison with the degree of discrepancy of naked eyes. The remarkable discrepancy between the adjustment value and convergence value is a burden to the eyes of the observer and causes the eyes to be fatigued. (It should be noted that the term "convergence" means the visual axes of both eyes which are concentrated when observing an object at a short distance, and the angle formed between both axes is referred to as a "convergence angle").
In view of the above-described problem, in order to reduce the burden to the eyes when observing an object at a short distance, binoculars provided with a convergence value (convergence angle) compensating mechanism have been developed. In such binoculars, in accordance with the adjustment value, the convergence value (or convergence angle) is adjusted by moving both objective lenses in the direction orthogonal to the optical axes thereof to make the objective lenses located close to each other when observing an object at a short distance. Examples of such binoculars are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publications No. 3090007, No. 3196613 and No. 3189328. However, the structure of a convergence value compensating mechanism of the binoculars described in each of the patent publications is relatively complicated.
However, if the convergence value compensating mechanism is employed in binoculars, since the objective lenses are moved in a direction perpendicular to the optical axes thereof, clearances are formed beside the objective lenses. Then, straying light enters through the clearances, which may cause flare and have a bad influence such as lowering of contrast on an image formed by the binoculars.

Binoculars with light-shielding mechanism


A hybrid vehicle includes: first and second rotary electric machines; a matrix converter connecting the first and second rotary electric machines to each other to provide AC to AC power conversion between both the rotary electric machines; a battery connected to an electrical path branched off between the matrix converter and the second rotary electric motor; an inverter interposed among the battery, the matrix converter and the second rotary electric machine to convert AC power to DC power and vice versa; and a controller. The controller activates the first rotary electric machine with power fed from the battery and restrains the change in torque output of the second rotary electric machine at the activation of the first rotary electric machine.

(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hybrid vehicles.
(b) Description of the Related Art
A generally known electrical system configuration of a hybrid vehicle includes a generator connected to an engine, an electric motor connected to a drive wheel and first and second inverters interposed between the generator and the electric motor to covert AC power to DC power or vice versa. In such a configuration, AC power generated in the generator is converted to DC power by the first inverter, the DC power is reconverted to AC power by the second inverter and the AC power is then fed to the electric motor.
However, since in the above configuration two inverters are interposed between the generator and the electric motor, this causes a problem of large power loss.
A hybrid vehicle is disclosed as an example of improvement for the above problem in PCT Publication WO 2005/105511 A1. The hybrid vehicle has an electrical system configuration in which a matrix converter for directly converting AC power to AC power is interposed between a generator and an electric motor.
The hybrid vehicle with the above configuration, however, has the following problems. Specifically, the electrical system of the hybrid vehicle is configured so that a matrix converter is interposed between a first rotary electric machine and a second rotary electric machine and a battery is connected via an inverter to an electrical path branched between the matrix converter and the second rotary electric machine. Therefore, the first rotary electric machine is connected to the battery via the inverter and the matrix converter and the second rotary electric machine is connected to the battery via the inverter only.
According to the above configuration, when electric power from the battery is fed to drive (activate) the first rotary electric machine, it is also fed to the second rotary electric machine. Thus, when the second rotary electric machine is already doing work, its torque output is increased. On the other hand, when the second rotary electric machine is stopped, an unnecessary torque is generated.
These problems occur where the first rotary electric machine is a generator connected to an engine and is used as a starter for the engine. Specifically, when driving electric power is fed from the battery through the inverter and the matrix converter to the generator (first rotary electric machine) in order to start the engine, driving electric power is also fed to the electric motor that is the second rotary electric machine. This causes the electric motor to generate an unnecessary torque output or unnecessarily increase the torque output.


Providing through-wafer interconnections in a semiconductor wafer includes forming a sacrificial membrane in a preexisting semiconductor wafer, depositing metallization over one side of the wafer so as to cover exposed portions of the sacrificial membrane facing the one side of the wafer, removing exposed portions of the sacrificial membrane facing the other side of the wafer, and depositing metallization over the other side of the wafer so as to contact the previously deposited metallization. Techniques also are disclosed for providing capacitive and other structures using thin metal membranes.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,818,464, assigned to the assignee of this application, discloses a double-sided etching technique for providing a semiconductor structure with one or more through-holes that are sealed hermetically by a feed-through metallization process. The feed-through metallization process may include using an electroplating technique. The semiconductor structure can be used, for example, as a lid for a package that encapsulates an opto-electronic or other device or an integrated circuit. The through-wafer electrical interconnections may provide electrical contact, for example, from outside the package to the device or circuit encapsulated within the package.
According to a particular embodiment disclosed in the foregoing patent, the double-sided etching technique is performed on a silicon wafer that includes a buried etch-stop layer. Although the through-wafer electrical interconnections can be obtained satisfactorily, inclusion of a buried etch-stop layer in the semiconductor wafer can be expensive. Likewise, use of electroplating techniques to form the feed-through metallization can be expensive.
The present invention can obviate the need for such a buried etch-stop layer and does not require use of electroplating techniques to form the feed-through metallization.

Formation of through-wafer electrical interconnections and other structures using a thin dielectric membrane