A chemical oxygen generator which is operable by movement of a starter member or thrust member comprises an outer closed container having an end wall on the interior of which an ignition actuation liquid container is mounted. The ignition actuation liquid container is made of a foil material and it is mounted over an ignition mixture container having an ignition mixture which when mixed with the liquid ignites so as to ignite a spark plug for the oxygen generator material.

The invention relates in general to chemical oxygen generators and in particular to a new and useful oxygen generator with an oxygen spark plug disposed in a container and arranged in series for activation with a starter and with a closed element containing a liquid, which can be destroyed from the outside, and with an ignition mixture activated by the liquid.
Chemical oxygen generators contain oxygen in combined form. Known are respirators which use chlorate spark plugs, generally called oxygen spark plugs, and respirators which use KO.sub.2 cartridges.
After the start by means of a starter, the oxygen spark plug supplies oxygen continuously. The KO.sub.2 cartridge requires carbon dioxide and moisture from the exhaling air for the reaction by which the oxygen is released.
Since this reaction can naturally only start after a few breaths, an oxygen spark plug takes over the oxygen supply in an apparatus with a KO.sub.2 cartridge, until the KO.sub.2 cartridge is activated.
A known chemical oxygen generator has in a container an ignition mixture activated by water, etc. and an oxygen spark plug activated by the ignition mixture. Above the ignition mixture under the cover of the container is arranged a water-filled glass ampoule in the cavity of a pot-shaped dish. The dish has a deformable convex bottom in the manner of a spring diaphragm. The cover of the container is provided with a center with an opening which is tightly sealed with a foil. For starting the oxygen generator by activating the oxygen plug, a thrust bolt is pressed down, which is arranged on the cover of the container and which is operated from the outside. It penetrates the foil and then presses on the convex bottom of the dish. The dish jumps out of its normal position into a concave position and destroys the glass ampoule. The issuing water activates the ignition mixture and thus starts the oxygen generator. A disadvantage of this starter is the sensitive glass ampoule. It must be arranged shock-proof in the container between the oxygen spark plug and the thrust bolt and must be kept in close contact with the ignition mixture. This requires a special arrangement in an additional part, which is not simple, due to the design of its bottom as a spring diaphragm. (DOS No. 26 20 300).


A shielded tip catheter for use with a pulsed energy source for fracturing deposits such as urinary and biliary stones and atherosclerotic plaque in the human body is disclosed. The flexible catheter has a shielded tip structure which is adapted for insertion through a fluid passage in a living body. The tip structure can contain an impact element, a scraping implement or a cutting implement. An energy source creates repeated rapid vapor expansions adjacent the element causing it to undergo repeated pulse like movements, imparting a series of high-velocity impulses to an adjacent deposit, thereby fracturing or cutting it. The energy source can be a laser with a fiber optic delivery system in the catheter terminating adjacent the impact element, or a spark generator with a conductor within the catheter to deliver a fluid vaporizing spark adjacent the element.

Calciferous and similar deposits occur in body fluid passages of various types, including kidney stones, gall stones, and arterial plaque. Surgery or radiation typically has been used for removing or destroying such deposits. In one form of laser therapy, radiation is directed onto a light-receiving surface of a heat-generating element. The element is then placed in contact with the target deposit, melting it. This approach has several drawbacks which include, for example, thermal damage to surrounding tissue, formation of char and debris from advanced fibrous and calcified plaques, and adhesion of the hot element to the tissue thereby rupturing it when the element is removed.
In another approach, known as direct lasertripsy, laser radiation is applied directly to the target deposit to ablate it or produce shock waves that induce fragmentation. Direct lasertripsy also has several disadvantages. For example, laser energy often damages healthy tissue surrounding the target deposit by direct absorption or by acting as a general heat sink for the high temperature plasma. Some deposits only weakly absorb radiation which requires the use of higher levels of radiation and consequent tissue damage.
Impact lithotripsy has been used for treating some hard deposits. For example, Pohlman et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,675 describe a device for fragmenting hard deposits in the urinary tract using ultrasonic energy. This device has several drawbacks, including the use of a thick spiral metal probe within the catheter, and it requires that ultrasonic energy be transmitted the length of the catheter which causes vibration along the length of the catheter. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,717, Pohlman et al. describe another ultrasonic device having an implement with a cutting edge attached to the end of the catheter. This device suffers all the drawbacks of the other Pohlman device with the additional disadvantage that the cutting edge appears to be exposed, which could damage surrounding tissues.
Oinuma et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,003 describe a lithotripter which utilizes a gas-generating explosive to drive an impact element against a stone in a body. This device is capable of only a single pulse, which exhausts the explosive. Thus, if the impact misses the target or fails to break it, the catheter must be withdrawn, the explosive recharged and the catheter reinserted for each additional attempt.
Schmidt-Kloiber et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,382 describe a lithotripter which utilizes a driving mechanism based on a water-filled chamber in which a hydraulic wave is induced by electrodes and transmitted through a membrane to the lithotripter wire which is threaded into the body. The design of this device requires that the mechanical energy resulting from the hydraulic wave be transmitted over the length of the lithotripter wire, so that if the wire takes one or more turns in a convoluted body passage, much of the energy could be transmitted to healthy tissue before it reaches the stone.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a safe, effective catheter design which is free of these and other disadvantages.


An optical transmitter includes: a semiconductor laser unit that outputs laser light of first output power and outputs a monitor current; a casing of an optical module that holds optical fiber; a monitor current detection unit that generates a monitor voltage; a laser driving unit that controls a laser driving current; a storage unit that stores information based on a result of a measurement of a ratio of second output power with respect to the first output power; a target voltage determination unit that changes the target voltage based on a detected temperature of a temperature sensor and the information based on the result of the measurement; and a power monitor value determination unit that generates a power monitor value indicating the second output power to be transmitted to a host device using the detected temperature and the information based on the result of the measurement.

Automatic power control (APC) for an optical transmitter is known as a control method for maintaining constant output power of laser light from a semiconductor laser unit. In APC, a part of laser light output from a laser diode (LD) constituting a semiconductor laser unit is detected by a photodiode (PD), and a laser driving current to be supplied to the LD is controlled so that the value of a monitor current output from the PD is constant (feedback control) (see Patent Reference 1).
There also disclosed a technique of changing a voltage to be applied to a laser driving circuit in accordance with a temperature in an optical transmitter to thereby maintain constant output power of laser light from a semiconductor laser unit even upon occurrence of a temperature variation (see Patent Reference 1).


An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming device that forms an image on a sheet; a fixing device that fixes the image to the sheet; a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the fixing device; a conveyance guide located at a predetermined position that blocks wind flowing into the fixing device; a detector that detects the sheet passing through the conveyance guide; and a hardware processor that switches the conveyance guide to the predetermined position based on a detection result of the detector.

Field of the Invention
An embodiment of the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including an image forming device that forms an image on paper, a fixing device that fixes the formed image on the paper, a temperature sensor that detects a temperature of the fixing device, and a control unit that switches a position of a conveyance guide in order to switch a conveyance path of the paper. The image forming apparatus includes various kinds of apparatuses such as a copier, printer, a facsimile, and a multifunction printer comprehensively including functions of these.
Description of the Related Art
An electrophotographic image forming apparatus transfers, onto paper, a toner image formed by an image forming device including a photoconductor drum, an exposure device, a developing device, and the like, makes the paper pass through a fixing device including a fixing roller, and fixes the toner image on the paper. The fixing roller is heated with a heating unit such as an electrothermal heater or an induction heater and fixes a toner image on paper by heating and pressing the paper on which the toner image is transferred.
A temperature sensor that detects a temperature of a fixing device, specifically a surface temperature of a fixing roller is provided. Feedback control of the heating unit is performed based on the detection temperature. That is, temperature adjustment control of keeping a surface temperature of the fixing roller at a target temperature is performed. Recently, a contactless thermistor temperature sensor is often used as such a temperature sensor.
Compared to a contact temperature sensor, it is possible to reduce a load on a fixing roller and to increase a life of the fixing roller in the contactless temperature sensor. That is, in a case of the contact temperature sensor, there is a disadvantage that a mark of contact of a temperature sensor is easily left on a surface of a fixing roller. However, there is not such a disadvantage in the contactless temperature sensor. However, generally, the contactless temperature sensor has a weak point that a detection temperature is influenced by surrounding wind and becomes lower than an actual temperature. In order to prevent this, it is necessary, for example, to surround the temperature sensor with a protection against wind.
Furthermore, recently, there is a high demand for a small image forming apparatus that can be provided anywhere. Such a small image forming apparatus is placed in various places including a deskside when being used. Depending on a provided place, there is a case where wind from an air outlet of an air-conditioner or from an electric fan (or circulator) flows into an inner part from a paper ejection opening of an image forming apparatus and a detection temperature in a temperature sensor in a fixing device and temperature adjustment control of a fixing roller are influenced badly.
Specifically, as a result of downsizing of an image forming apparatus, a paper conveyance path from a fixing device to a paper ejection opening becomes short. Thus, even in a contactless temperature sensor surrounded by a protection against wind, there is a case where temperature detection by a temperature sensor is not performed correctly due to an influence of wind flowing from the outside.
On the other hand, in JP 2015-99188 A, an image forming apparatus in which a shutter member, on which opening/closing control is performed, is provided in a paper ejection opening is described. The opening/closing control of the shutter member is performed in order to keep a thermal insulation state of a fixing device. That is, the opening/closing control of the shutter member is performed according to actuation/stoppage of a cooling fan.
It is considered to block wind, which flows from a paper ejection opening of an image forming apparatus into an inner part thereof, by using a shutter member of the image forming apparatus described in JP 2015-99188 A. That is, it is possible to prevent a flow of wind from the paper ejection opening into the inner part by closing the shutter member with a purpose different from a purpose described in JP 2015-99188 A, that is, with a purpose of preventing failure in correct temperature detection, which is performed by a temperature sensor, due to wind flowing from the outside. However, in this case, a shutter member and a mechanism that opens/closes that become necessary and a cost of the image forming apparatus is increased.
On the other hand, there are many image forming apparatuses that can perform duplex printing. In those image forming apparatuses, a path switching gate that can switch conveyance of paper after single-sided printing to a reverse conveyance path and conveyance of paper after duplex printing to a paper ejection opening is included in a conveyance path of paper. Alternatively, there is an image forming apparatus which includes a sheet postprocessing device to bundle a plurality of pieces of paper elected from a paper ejection opening and to perform postprocessing such as stapling processing and in which a lowered position and an elevated position of a postprocessing tray are switched.

Image forming apparatus that performs position switching control of a conveyance guide based on at least one of sheet detection and temperature detection


A staple insertion device includes a staple drive chamber, staple reservoir, staple feed mechanism, and staple drive member. The staple drive chamber is formed between a backing plate and a jam plate removably attached to the backing plate. The staple reservoir is configured to receive and hold a plurality of staples and extends from the backing plate to a staple reservoir terminal plate. The staple feed mechanism is operatively connected to the staple reservoir and is configured to feed the plurality of staples from the staple reservoir into the staple drive chamber through the backing plate. The staple drive member is configured to advance downwardly through the staple drive chamber so as to drive a staple out of the staple drive chamber.

A staple insertion device, which may also be referred to as a staple gun, can be used to staple mats or other sheet materials to the ground. Such mats or other sheet materials are used in a variety of applications, such as to improve growing conditions and/or to control erosion. For example, following landscaping and construction projects, textile fabric may be laid on disturbed earth. The textile fabric, sometimes referred to as landscaping cloth, can be used to hold seed on the ground and to promote growth of grass or other flora on the disturbed soil. The textile fabric can help prevent erosion while plant root structures are growing to more permanently hold the soil in place. As another example, a textile fabric may be rolled over a soil roadway bed before depositing crushed gravel on the roadway bed during construction.
Independent of the application, it may be desirable to secure textile fabric or other material to prevent movement of the material. In the case of fabric laid over disturbed earth, staples may be used to secure the fabric to the underlying ground. This can require inserting a large number of stapes across the face of the fabric, particularly when the fabric is used in a large-scale construction project. The process of inserting staples can be even more challenging because the conditions in which fabric is deployed over disturbed ground, often muddy and wet, have a tendency to foul equipment used in the staple insertion process. Being able to efficiently secure the fabric to the ground can help ensure that a project remains on schedule and on budget.


A composition and method for pretreating the internal metal surfaces an internal combustion engine to remove varnish and to neutralize zinc dialkyldithiophosphate in order to provide for maximum bonding of a fluoropolymer with the surfaces of the internal combustion engine, the composition including tripropylene glycol methyl ether.

(1) Field of the Invention
This invention is a composition of matter that may be used to prepare the internal metal surfaces of an internal combustion engine to accept a coating of fluoropolymer lubricant. The composition of this invention facilitates the bonding of a fluoropolymer to the internal surfaces of an internal combustion engine by neutralizing and removing zinc dialkyldithiophosphate from the metal surfaces of an internal combustion engine prior to flouoropolymer bonding. This invention is also a method for using the composition to pretreat the internal metal surfaces of an internal combustion engine to accept a fluoropolymer.
(2) Description of the Art
Internal combustion engines are relatively inefficient. One area where energy is lost is through friction between the engine pistons and cylinder walls. Furthermore, the friction causes undesirable piston and cylinder wear. Oil lubricants reduce the energy lost through piston/cylinder friction and they reduce piston and friction wear. It has been discovered that a coating of a fluoropolymer applied to the internal metal surfaces of an engine's cylinders and pistons further reduces piston/cylinder friction and wear thereby improving engine efficiency and longevity.
The lubricating properties of fluoropolymers are well known. Most consumers are familiar with fluoropolymers used as anti-stick agents in pots and pans. U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,677 and an article by D. E. Priester et al. New Processing Additives For Polyolefins Minimize Formulation Interactions, ANTEC 92 2024-27 (1992), describe methods for improving the efficiency of polymer extrusion, blow molding, and other polymer processes by coating the metal processing parts with a fluoropolymer. The fluoropolymer is added to a polymer composition from which the fluoropolymer deposits on the metal surfaces of the extruder or the mold.
Treating an internal combustion engine with a fluoropolymer has a similar effect. The fluoropolymer adheres to the surfaces of the cylinder and the piston. The adhered fluoropolymer acts as a lubricant and it reduces the friction caused by the movement of the piston in the engine cylinder. This, in turn, improves engine efficiency and it reduces engine wear.
The ability of a fluoropolymer to adhere to a metal surface is not absolute. Many chemicals and compounds actually inhibit the ability of a fluoropolymer to adhere to a metal surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,594 describes talc and silica polymer melt additives as having a detrimental effect on the ability of the fluoropolymer to adhere to metal parts due to their abrasive nature. The article by D. E. Priester, cited above, discloses that polyolefin additives such as antiblock agents, pigments, and acid scavengers can have a detrimental effect on the ability of a fluoropolymer to coat to a metal surface. And U.S. Pat. No. 4,704,423 discloses that metal salts of higher fatty acids have the potential to reduce the effectiveness of a fluoropolymer as a lubricant processing aid.
Fatty acid derivatives and compounds such as calcium stearate or zinc stearate are materials that are sometimes used in motor oil additives as, for example, acid scavengers. Most premium motor oils include an additive, zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, that coats the piston and cylinder metal parts and that inhibits the ability of a fluoropolymers to bind to the metal piston and cylinder walls. As a result, the internal metal surfaces of an internal combustion engine that are coated with zinc dialkyldithiophosphate cannot easily accept a fluoropolymer.

Internal combustion engine preparation composition


Fibrous-reinforced composites, such as prepregs and sheet moulding compounds, are made with a thermosettable cyanato resin, a photopolymerizable compound, and, if required, a heat-activated accelerator for heat-curing the resin. Fibers may be impregnated with a liquid mixture of the resin and the photopolymerizable compound, and irradiated to cause the mixture to solidify through photopolymerization. The product, when desired, e.g., after stacking to form a multilayer laminate, or after shaping, is heated to cure the resin. Alternatively, the liquid mixture is irradiated to form a solid film into which the fibers are pressed, and then, when required, the assembly is heated to cure the resin. The cyanato resins employed are of formula ##STR1## where R is an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, or, preferably, an aromatic organic, group of not more than 18 carbon atoms, a is zero, or, if R is an aromatic group, may alternatively be an integer of 1 to 3, and b is an integer of 1 to 6 such that (a+b) is at least 2.

This invention relates to reinforced composites containing photo-polymerised and thermosettable compositions and fibrous reinforcing materials, and to methods for their production.
Composite structures are commonly made by impregnating fibrous materials, such as fibers of paper, glass, aromatic polyamide, or carbon, metal filaments, and whiskers, usually in the form of layers, with a solution, in a volatile solvent, of a solid thermosettable resin and a heat-activated curing agent for the resin, causing the resin to solidify by evaporation of the solvent, and, when desired, curing the resin composition in the resultant so-called "prepreg" by the action of heat. Frequently, the prepegs are stacked before heat-curing, so that a multilayer laminate is formed.
Sheet moulding compounds are made by impregnating chopped fibrous reinforcement with a liquid thermosettable resin, and then causing the resin to thicken by chemical means such as by reaction of carboxyl groups in the resin with magnesium oxide. The resin is subsequently heat-cured.
Composite structures may also be prepared from films of a thermosettable resin composition by laying a film of the composition containing the resin and the curing agent on a fibrous reinforcement and applying heat and pressure so that the resin composition flows about the fibres but remains curable, and then heating further when desired so that the resin composition is cured by the heat-activated curing agent.
These methods suffer from certain drawbacks. Some thermosettable resin compositions are solid, and if a solvent is used to dissolve the components of the composition it is not always possible to eliminate all traces of it before the final curing takes place, and in consequence the cured composite may contain voids caused by evaporation of such residual solvent. Solvents may cause difficulties due to their toxicity or inflammability or to pollution. If a film adhesive is used, it is usually cast from a liquid thermosettable resin and this is then advanced to the solid state; such a process adds considerably to the cost of the composite. The methods also require a considerable expenditure of heat energy, either to evaporate the solvent or to advance the resin.
Recently, certain resins have become of considerable technical interest because the crosslinked polymers obtained therefrom have high glass transition temperatures. These resins, called herein "cyanato resins" for brevity, contain cyanate groups and undergo crosslinking by an addition polymerisation involving formation of sym-triazine structures.

Reinforced composites containing cyanato resins


A cover for preventing water from entering a golf bag while removing clubs therefrom comprises a tubular sleeve formed of a water impervious, flexible material. The sleeve has upper and lower openings with an elastic band extending around and integral with the lower opening, and an absorbent cloth collar fastened around the upper opening. The lower opening of the tubular sleeve is larger than the diameter of the golf bag. The elastic band of the lower opening effectively draws said lower opening into relatively tight contact with the outer surface of the golf bag. The length of the sleeve is such that at least a portion of said sleeve extends a sufficient distance from the golf bag to collapse the sleeve whereby the upper opening is positioned in substantially the same direction as the lower opening. The length of the sleeve is approximately the same as the golf bag.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,133 discloses a golf bag cover comprising an elongated, tubular sleeve having a frusto-conical configuration. The sleeve is fabricated of a non-self supporting, water impervious material including an access opening and a lower opening, with the lower opening having a greater circumference than the access opening. A first continuous elastic band has a smaller circumference than the access opening and is disposed around the access opening and enclosed within a tubular sleeve. A second continuous elastic band is of a smaller circumference than the lower opening and larger than the first band. The second band is enclosed by a portion of the sleeve so that when the lower opening is placed over a golf bag, the second band draws the sleeve about the bag. The sleeve extends upwardly over any clubs in the golf bag and folds over the clubs with the access opening directed downwardly. A disadvantage of this cover is that the circumference of the access opening is relatively small and is further constricted by the first elastic band making it difficult to retrieve the clubs from the bag through the sleeve. Another disadvantage of this cover is that the sleeve must be extended upwardly to allow removal of a club whereupon rain may enter the access opening and run down the inside surface of the sleeve and into the golf bag thus allowing the club grips to become wet and slippery.


A molded electrical junction box may be formed from a high-heat thermoset polyester. The box includes a back wall, a parametrical side wall bounding the back wall and an open front face. The back wall includes an integrally molded rib pattern extending therefrom. The rib pattern increases the thickness of the back wall thereat. The rib pattern is formed to be in direct flow communication with a molding gate during the molding process.

Molded plastic electrical junction boxes are well known in the electrical industry. These junction boxes house various electrical termination components such as switches and outlets and permit electrical wires to be connected to the components therein.
Applicable electrical standard groups require the electrical junction box to meet certain strength and fire resistant requirements. As a result of these requirements, junction boxes of this type may have to be formed having relatively thick walls. This, of course, increases the cost of the junction box due to increased materials and manufacturing costs.
These problems are especially prevalent when forming the junction box of a fire resistant compound. Attempts to reduce the wall thickness of junction boxes formed of such a fire rated compound results in the box being brittle and failing the requisite standards for strength. Moreover, it has been found that it is difficult to mold the entire box from these fire rated compounds as the material flow characteristics of the compound result in knit lines being formed on the side walls as the material flows from the back wall to adjacent side walls of the box. Thus, use of fire rated materials to form a molded junction box results in the need to form the box of increased thickness thereby increasing the cost of the box.


A cutter head assembly for a fiber roving chopper includes a cylindrical blade cartridge extending axially between a cartridge first end and a cartridge second end. The cylindrical blade cartridge includes a first surface that extends between the cartridge first and second ends and is angled with respect to a central axis of the cylindrical blade cartridge. A second surface extends between the cartridge first and second ends parallel to the first surface and the second surface faces the first surface. A blade body extends between the cartridge first end and the cartridge second end and is disposed between the first surface and the second surface.

The present invention relates generally to a chopper device that distributes fiber material into a stream of resin material dispensed from a spray gun. More particularly, the present invention relates to a blade assembly used in the chopper device.
Chopper guns are frequently used in the composite material industry to form large, shaped products, such as in the marine and watercraft industries and pool and spa industries. Chopper guns include assemblies of a fiber chopper and a liquid spray gun. Compressed air is typically supplied to an external pump with a pumping mechanism and to an air motor in the fiber chopper. The pumping mechanism typically delivers a liquid resin material and a liquid catalyst material to the spray gun. Actuation of a trigger on the gun dispenses the materials into a mix chamber before being sprayed out of a nozzle of the gun. Mixing of the catalyst with the resin begins a solidification process, which eventually leads to a hard, rigid material being formed upon complete curing of the materials. The fiber chopper is typically mounted on top of the spray gun. The fiber chopper receives rovings of a fiber material, such as fiberglass, which passes between an idler wheel, an anvil and a cutter blade head. The fiber rovings are cut into small segments between the anvil and cutter blade head while being propelled out of the chopper by rotation of the anvil and the cutter blade head. The segments of fiber are mixed into the sprayed mixture of resin and catalyst such that the final cured product is fiber reinforced.
The blade head and anvil of the fiber chopper include consumable pieces that must be replaced after a threshold wear level is surpassed. For example, the blade head typically includes a plurality of razor blades inserted into slots on a blade wheel. Also, the anvil includes a roller of soft material into which blades of the cutter blade head penetrate while slicing or chopping the fiber roving. Thus, it is necessary to frequently disassemble the fiber chopper to access the cutter blade head and anvil, after which further disassembly of those components is also needed. In particular, it is necessary to remove the anvil roller and each blade of the cutter blade head. Prior art blade heads have involved using a blade bar and a wave spring that retains each razor blade within a slot of the blade wheel. This technique is tedious and labor intensive and provides higher risk to operators because handling of each blade is required when removing old blades and inserting new blades into the blade wheel.
There is, therefore, a need for a simpler system and method for retaining razor blades in a cutter blade head for a fiber roving chopper.

Dual wedge clamp angles blade cutter system


A tank passage has one end connected to a fuel tank. A purge passage has one end connected to a canister and the other end connected to an intake passage. An atmospheric passage has one end connected to the canister and the other end communicated with the atmosphere. A purge valve opens and closes the purge passage. An atmospheric valve opens and closes an atmospheric passage. A tank switch valve opens and closes the tank passage. A pressure sensor detects pressure in the purge passage and outputs a signal corresponding to the detected pressure. An abnormality detection portion executes an abnormality detection processing that detects a clog abnormality based on a signal from a pressure sensor when the tank switch valve is activated in a state in which the purge valve and the atmospheric valve are closed, after driving of an engine is stopped.

A fuel vapor treatment system that discharges a fuel vapor in a fuel tank into an intake passage of an internal combustion engine and treats the fuel vapor has been known. In recent years, regulations of the fuel vapor leaked from an inside of the fuel tank to an outside become strict. In particular, according to a standard of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the United States California Air Resources Board (CARB), it is required to detect the leakage of the fuel vapor from a fine hole of the fuel tank.
An fuel vapor treatment system disclosed in JP 2006-177199 A includes a tank passage that connects a fuel tank and a canister, a purge passage that connects the canister and an intake passage, an atmospheric passage that connects the canister and the atmosphere, a purge valve that can open and close the purge passage, an atmospheric valve that can open and close the atmospheric passage, and a pressure sensor that can detect pressure in the purge passage. After an internal combustion engine is stopped, the fuel vapor treatment system closes the atmospheric passage and the purge passage so that a leak abnormality that is "an abnormality of leakage of an fuel vapor from the fuel tank, the tank passage and the like to an outside" can be detected based on a signal from the pressure sensor after a predetermined time has elapsed.
In the fuel vapor treatment system described above, the liquefied fuel vapor or a foreign substance is retained in the tank passage and thereby the tank passage might be clogged. However, in the fuel vapor treatment system, the pressure sensor is arranged in the purge passage, namely on an opposite side to the fuel tank with respect to the tank passage. Thus, when the tank passage is clogged, the clog cannot be detected by the pressure sensor. When the tank passage is clogged, the pressure in the fuel tank is increased and a valve body, which closes a fuel supply port or the like, is opened, broken or the like, and therefore the fuel vapor might be leaked from the fuel supply port to the outside.


A control mechanism for use with a steerable medical device allows for single-handed operation of at least a distal portion of the medical device. The device can be a catheter or an endoscope, for example.

Known catheters and endoscopes for use in minimally invasive surgical procedures typically move only in one plane and are difficult to manipulate and control effectively with a single hand of an operator. Single plane movement generally requires a medical device, such as a catheter, that is flexible in a first plane and rigid in a second plane that is perpendicular to the first plane. Manufacturing such a device can be relatively expensive. U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,030 to Hunjan et al. describes a bidirectional steerable catheter that includes a handle, a deflectable tip, and a tubular member extending between the handle and the tip. Steering wires run through a tubular member and provide control of the tip.

Control mechanism for steerable medical device


A device and associated methods for storing, displaying, and shaping apparel items, linens, and the like. The device includes a plurality of suspended bands, each suspended band being suspended vertically and having a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion and the rear portion being attached one to another at a plurality of predetermined connection points, thereby providing a plurality of loops in each suspended band, wherein the plurality of loops is configured to store, display, and shape a plurality of articles, each of the plurality of articles placed in one of the plurality of loops.

Organizational devices can be useful for storage and display. Many storage and display devices are well known in the art. However, there are many deficiencies with these known devices. Many such devices do not hold a multiplicity of items while simultaneously providing for the display of each item and providing shape formation and shape maintenance to each item.
By way of example, hat storage and display devices are well known in the art. However, there are many deficiencies with these known hat storage and display devices. Many such devices do not hold a multiplicity of hats while simultaneously providing for the display of each hat and simultaneously providing brim maintenance to the curvature of the brim of each hat. Other known hat storage and display devices do not provide the means to train or maintain the curvature of the brim of each hat after initial training.
The following utility patents and design patents are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,840,411, issued to Fritz, discloses a storage and display device for baseball-type caps. U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,401, issued to Roten, discloses a hat storage and fashioning rack. U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,400, issued to Miller, discloses a brimmed cap storage and display device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,879, issued to Rigler et al., discloses a cap storage and bill shape maintenance device. U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,027, issued to Frey, discloses a cap brim shaper. U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,080, issued to Cox, discloses an athletic headwear shaping device. U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,102, issued to Koenig, discloses a cap receiving apparatus. U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,465, issued to Berardis, discloses a device for shaping the brim of a baseball cap. U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,694, issued to Larson, discloses a hat holder. U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,157, issued to Lawson, discloses a cap holder. U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,516, issued to Helman, discloses a ball cap display and storage rack assembly. U.S. Pat. No. D393,970, issued to Lee, discloses the ornamental design for a door-mounted cap-rack. U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,063, issued to Fricano, discloses a combination hat hanger and visor press. U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,954, issued to Myers, discloses an adjustable cap shaper. U.S. Pat. No. D441,174, issued to Farbenbloom, discloses the ornamental design for a hat shaper and sizer. U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,274, issued to Lyles, discloses a folded cap holder.
The foregoing patent information reflects the state of the art of which the inventors are aware and is tendered with a view toward discharging the inventors' acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be pertinent to the patentability of the technology described herein. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that the foregoing patents do not teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, the inventors' claimed invention.

Device and associated methods for storing, displaying, and shaping items


A method for determining a list of survey points for a drilling well includes a feedback loop in which one or more measured parameters are compared with computed or derived parameters. The computed parameters are typically obtained from other/additional measurements. For example, in one exemplary embodiment of the invention, a magnetic least distance vector determined via magnetic ranging is compared with a geometric least distance vector computed from conventional borehole surveying measurements. Estimates of the drilling well azimuth and/or inclination may be adjusted to yield a good agreement between the magnetic and geometric least distance vectors. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention advantageously provide for a substantially real-time determination of a definitive well path for a drilling well as well as a substantially real-time relative placement of the drilling well with respect to a target well.

In conventional borehole surveying, borehole inclination and azimuth (which, together, essentially define a vector or unit vector tangent to the borehole) are determined at a discrete number of longitudinal points along the borehole (e.g., at an approximately defined measured depth interval). Typically, no assumptions are required about the trajectory of the borehole between the discrete measurement points to determine inclination and azimuth. The discrete measurements are then assembled into a survey of the well and used to calculate a three-dimensional well path (e.g., using the minimum curvature assumption). The use of accelerometers, magnetometers, and gyroscopes are well known in such conventional borehole surveying techniques for measuring borehole inclination and/or azimuth. For example, borehole inclination is commonly derived from tri-axial accelerometer measurements of the earth's gravitational field. Borehole azimuth is commonly derived from tri-axial magnetometer measurements of the earth's magnetic field.
In making conventional borehole azimuth measurements it is assumed (i) that the actual (nominal) magnetic field of the earth is known and (ii) that the downhole tool measures only this field. Standard practice makes both assumptions. However, it is known that both assumptions are sometimes violated. Depending upon the measurement accuracy required, violation of these assumptions can be problematic. For example, the Earth's magnetic field (both the magnitude and direction of the field) is known to vary in time. Thus the actual magnetic field may not be known with sufficient accuracy. Where such variation is significant, standard practice is to use magnetic field measurements (or measurements of the variations) made at established observatories. On-site measurements of the Earth's field are sometimes also utilized; however, obtaining reliable on-site measurements can be problematic (due to the presence of magnetic interference at the rig site).
The assumption that the tool measures only the Earth's magnetic field is violated in the presence of magnetic interference. Such interference is known to cause errors in the calculated borehole azimuth values. The bottom hole assembly (BHA) itself is one common source of such magnetic interference. Motors and stabilizers (and other BHA components) used in directional drilling applications are typically permanently magnetized during magnetic particle inspection processes. BHA interference can be estimated or measured and is commonly subtracted from the magnetic field measurements. BHA interference can also be reduced through proper tool design.
Magnetic interference is also commonly encountered in close proximity to subterranean magnetic structures, such as cased well bores, or ferrous minerals in formations or ore bodies. Techniques are known in the art for using magnetic field measurements to locate subterranean magnetic structures, such as a nearby cased borehole. These techniques are sometimes used, for example, in well twinning applications in which one well (referred to as a twin well or a drilling well) is drilled in close proximity and often substantially parallel to another well (commonly referred to as a target well).
In co-pending, commonly assigned, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/301,762 to McElhinney, a technique is disclosed in which a predetermined magnetic pattern is deliberately imparted to a plurality of casing tubulars. These tubulars, thus magnetized, are coupled together and lowered into a target well to form a magnetized section of casing string typically including a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of opposing magnetic poles. Magnetic ranging measurements may then be advantageously utilized to survey and guide drilling of a twin well relative to the target well. For example, the distance between the twin and target wells may be calculated using magnetic field strength measurements made in the twin well. This well twinning technique may be used, for example, in steam assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) applications in which horizontal twinned wells are drilled to enhance recovery of heavy oil from tar sands.
While the above described method of magnetizing wellbore tubulars has been successfully utilized in well twinning applications, there is room for yet further improvement. For example, the output of the above described magnetic ranging methodology is in the form of a distance and a direction between the drilling and target wells rather than a definitive survey of the drilling well (from which a definitive well path may be derived). Moreover, in certain drilling conditions, there can be considerable noise in the magnetic ranging measurements, e.g., due to fluctuations in the measured magnetic field strength and the removal (subtracting) of the earth's magnetic field from the measured magnetic field. Such noise can result in uncertainties in the distance and direction between the twin and target wells. In SAGD operations, in which the distance and direction between the two wells must be maintained within predetermined limits, the uncertainties are at times unacceptable.
There is a need in the art for improved surveying methodologies, and in particular, methodologies that generate a three-dimensional survey of the well being drilled. There is also a need for improved magnetic surveying methods, particularly magnetic ranging methods applicable to SAGD twin well drilling operations.

Method of optimizing a well path during drilling


A semiconductor memory system includes: a memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells arranged therein, the plurality of memory cells capable of storing N bits of information in each memory cell (where N is a natural number more than 3, other than a power of two); a control circuit configured to control read, write, and erase operations on the memory cell array; and an ECC circuit configured to correct data read from the memory cell array, based on redundant data. The memory cells that share one of word lines and can be written or read at a time are configured to store multiple pages of data therein. A total amount of data stored in the multiple pages is set to a power-of-two number of bits, and the redundant data is stored in a residual portion of the multiple pages.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-volatile semiconductor storage system, and particularly, to a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device enabled to store multiple bits in one memory cell.
2. Description of the Related Art
One of the well-known non-volatile semiconductor storage systems is a NAND cell type flash memory. The NAND cell type flash memory includes a memory cell array including a plurality of NAND cell units. Each NAND cell unit includes a plurality of memory cells connected in series and two selection transistors connected to both ends thereof.
The memory cell holds, in an erase state, data "1" and has a negative threshold voltage. In a data write operation, a floating gate of the memory cell is injected with electrons to write data "0", and the memory cell has a positive threshold voltage. The NAND cell type flash memory may change the threshold voltage of the memory cell only from a lower value to a higher value in a data write operation, and may change the threshold voltage in the reverse direction (from a higher value to a lower value) only by an erase operation per block.
To increase memory capacity, current developments are directed to a so-called multi-value NAND cell type flash memory that stores two or more bits of information in one memory cell. For example, when 3 bits are stored in one memory cell, one memory cell involves 23=8 different threshold voltage distributions (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-077810).
Meanwhile, since the NAND cell type flash memory is usually controlled in a unit of power-of-two bits of data, host devices utilizing such the NAND cell type flash memory are also designed for data control in a unit of power-of-two bits of data.
However, in the NAND cell type flash memory where 3 bits are stored in one memory cell, for example, the amount of data that is subject to data-erase at a time in a data erase unit (block) is not a power-of-two bits of data. As such, there may be a mismatch (discrepancy) between the logic block size of a host device and the data erase unit of the NAND cell type flash memory. Consequently, such situations frequently arise where data copy operations are required within the system, causing additional overhead in the system. This may result in serious disruption to normal operation in some applications, such as video recording that requires data write/read to be performed in a continuous manner. This issue may arise not only when performing multi-value storage of 3 bits per cell, but also when performing that of N bits per cell (where N is a natural number more than 3, other than a power of two).


A memory device includes a plurality of side-wall electrodes formed on a first side-wall of a trench within an insulating layer over a first plurality of contacts in an array of contacts in a substrate. The plurality of side-wall electrodes contact respective top surfaces of the first plurality of contacts. The side-wall electrodes respectively comprise a layer of tantalum nitride, having a composition TaxNy, where y is greater than x, and a layer of electrode material having a lower electrical resistivity and a lower thermal resistivity than the layer of tantalum nitride. Top surfaces of the plurality of side-wall electrodes contact memory material. A second plurality of side-wall electrodes may be formed on a second side-wall of the trench over a second plurality of contacts in the array of contacts.

Phase change materials exhibit a large resistivity contrast between crystalline (low resistivity) and amorphous (high resistivity) phases. An electrical current passed through a phase change material can set or reset a phase change memory (PCM) device. To set a PCM device into the crystalline phase, a medium electrical current pulse can be used. To reset a PCM device into the amorphous phase, a large electrical current pulse for a short time period can be used. To read the state of a PCM device, a small electrical current is required. Accordingly, applications of phase change memory can be limited by the high current required to reset the PCM device.
Electrodes can be significant sources of heat loss away from the active region of the device. Heat loss outside the active region is wasted, and causes a demand for more current during the reset operation. Device density in the PCM memory array can be determined by the size of the memory cell access device, typically a diode or transistor. The size of the access device is decided in part by the peak reset current required to pass through the device. Therefore reducing reset current is desirable for scalability, high-density, and low power consumption in memory devices, including PCM and other programmable resistance memory types.

Thermally confined electrode for programmable resistance memory


A fluorine-containing polyether compound having the following general formula:

Fluorine-containing polyether compounds having functional groups at the terminals of molecule, for example, represented by the following general formula are known (Patent Document 1):

More general compounds obtained by oligomerizing the main chain structure of the afore-mentioned compounds and represented by the following general formula are also known (Patent Document 2):

It is disclosed that a series of compounds represented by these general formulae can give elastomeric moldings having much distinguished characteristics (chemical resistance, heat resistance, and low-temperature characteristics) by curing with a fluorine-containing organo hydrogen siloxane compound having a plurality of Si—H groups in the molecule in the presence of a platinum compound catalyst, and the moldings can be used particularly even at low temperatures such as about −50° C. without losing the flexibility. Curable compositions comprising these compounds as the main component have a remarkable molding processability and can undergo even RIM molding. However, the cured products have siloxane bonds in the intramolecular cross-linked structure, and thus may give undesirable effects such as chemical deterioration and the resulting lowered mechanical strength, when used in the presence of an acidic substance such as hydrogen fluoride, etc.

Fluorine-containing polyether compound and process for producing the same

Abstract: (where R1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group; X is a bromine atom or an iodine atom; l and m each are independently an integer of 10 or more; and l+m is 30-200) can be produced by reaction of a fluorine-containing dicarboxylic acid fluoride compound having the following general formula:

Abstract: (where l and m each are independently an integer of 10 or more, and l+m is 30-200) with an aromatic amine compound having the following general formula:

Abstract: [where R1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a phenyl group, R2 is a hydrogen atom or a group represented by the general formula —SiR3R4R5 (where R3, R4 and R5 each are independently an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or a phenyl group); and X is a bromine atom or an iodine atom] preferably in the presence of pyridine or a tertiary amine compound such as triethylamine, etc.


A device is indicated for controlling at least one gas exchange valve for an combustion cylinder of an internal combustion engine, having an hydraulic actuator for valve actuation and having a high-pressure pump that supplies the actuator with a pressure medium. In order to reduce the production costs, the high-pressure pump is formed as a control-sleeve pump having a stroke-driven pump plunger that limits a pump chamber, and having a spool valve surrounding this plunger. In the pump plunger and spool valve, on the one hand a control groove that runs obliquely to the stroke direction is provided, and on the other hand a spill opening that cooperates therewith is provided, which together bring about a relief of pressure of the pump chamber when they overlap. For the controlling of the phase position and duration of the valve actuation, the pump plunger and the spool valve are able to be rotated relative to one another, and the spool valve is able to be displaced relative to the pump plunger.

A known device of this type (German Published Patent Application No. 198 26 047) has, as an actuator or valve positioner, a double-acting hydraulic working cylinder in which a control piston is guided so as to be axially displaceable, this control piston being fixedly connected with the valve shaft of the gas exchange valve integrated in the combustion cylinder, or itself forming the end thereof further away from the valve closing element. In the working cylinder, the control piston limits, with its two end surfaces facing away from one another, an upper and lower working chamber. While the lower working chamber, via which a piston displacement in the direction of valve closing is effected, is constantly charged with a medium under high pressure, for example hydraulic oil, the upper working chamber, via which a piston displacement in the direction of valve opening is effected, is purposively charged with pressure medium that is under high pressure, or is again relieved of stress to approximately ambient pressure, with the aid of electric control valves, preferably 2/2-way magnetic valves. The pressure medium under high pressure is supplied by a high-pressure pump. Of the control valves, a first control valve connects the first working chamber with the high-pressure pump, and a second control valve connects the upper working chamber with a relief line that debouches into a pressure medium reservoir. In the closed state of the gas exchange valve, the upper working chamber is separated from the closed first control valve by the high-pressure pump, and is connected with the relief line via the opened second control valve, so that the control piston is guided into its closed position by the pressure of the medium prevailing in the lower working chamber. For the opening of the gas exchange valve, the control valves are switched over, through which the upper working chamber is closed off from the relief line and is connected to the high-pressure pump. Because the piston area of the control piston in the upper working chamber is larger than the effective surface of the control piston in the lower working chamber, the control piston is displaced so as to open the gas exchange valve. The magnitude of the opening stroke depends on the design of the electrical control signal applied to the first control valve, and the speed of opening depends on the high pressure of the pressure medium, applied by the high-pressure pump.
From German Published Patent Application No. 30 14 028, a fuel injection pump for internal combustion engines is known that has a pumping and distribution plunger that simultaneously executes a back-and-forth stroke motion and a rotational motion. The pumping and distribution plunger, formed as a stepped piston, limits a pump chamber. In the jacket surface of the pumping and distribution plunger, there is situated a distribution longitudinal groove that is connected with the pump chamber and that, during rotation, successively activates pressure passages that lead to pressure lines that are connected with the internal combustion engine. The number of pressure passages corresponds to the number of combustion cylinders in the internal combustion engine that are to be supplied. During the rotation of the pumping and distribution plunger, the pressure passages that are not under high pressure are successively relieved of pressure, to a suction chamber, via one or more longitudinal grooves, an annular groove, and a relief bore. The regulation of the injected fuel quantity takes place via a spool valve that is situated on the pumping and distribution plunger in axially displaceable fashion and can be axially displaced by an hydraulic controller. The pumping chamber is connected, via bored holes in the pumping and distribution plunger, with longitudinal grooves situated on the jacket surface thereof that work together with an opening in the spool valve. As long as these bored holes are controlled to open by the molded opening via the longitudinal grooves, no injection takes place. However, as soon as these bored openings are blocked, and simultaneously, during the pressure stroke of the pumping and distribution plunger, the distribution longitudinal groove coincides with one of the pressure passages, injection takes place. The injected quantity is thus determined by the spacing of the longitudinal grooves, at least one of the longitudinal grooves being situated obliquely to the other, so that an axial displacement of the spool valve causes an alteration of the activation distance, and thus of the injected quantity.
Through further rotation of the spool valve, the beginning and end of the injection are simultaneously displaced.
What is known as a control-sleeve in-line fuel-injection pump is known for diesel engines (Bosch, "Automotive Handbook", 23rd ed., ISBN 3-528-03876-4, pp. 542 and 543), having, for each combustion cylinder of the diesel engine, a pump plunger that limits a pump chamber and is driven by a cam and that has an oblique control groove that is connected with the pump working chamber, and what is known as a control sleeve that is provided with a spill port. A setting shaft having a plurality of control-sleeve levers, of which each engages in a respective control sleeve, moves all the control sleeves in common. An electromagnetic actuator mechanism in turn rotates the setting shaft. According to the position of the control sleeve, the delivery begins earlier or later relative to the actuating cam. The delivery end is achieved when the control groove and the spill port coincide.

Device for the control of at least one gas exchange valve


The present invention is an method of estimating the frequency of a signal by first receiving a signal, forming a row vector, segmenting the row vector; converting the row vector to a first matrix, multiplying the first matrix by a weight, performing a Fourier transform on the result of the last step. These same steps are repeated on a delayed version of the signal. The next steps are calculating a complex conjugate for each result of the last step, forming a cross-spectrum matrix, selecting a magnitude in the cross-spectrum matrix that is above a threshold; and setting an angular frequency of the signal to either the phase of the selected magnitude, the phase of the mean of the complex numbers in the row in which appears the selected magnitude, or the selected magnitude. The frequency of the signal is then set to the estimated angular frequency divided by the product of 2xcfx80 and the signal delay period. Additional rows are processed if need be.

The present invention relates, in general, to measuring and testing and, in particular, to frequency spectrum analyzer by Fourier analysis.
A classic problem in signal analysis is detecting weak tones in noise and estimating the frequency of the tone.
The most common method used in frequency estimation is the Fourier transform. However, the Fourier transform cannot resolve signals that are separated by less than the width of one transform cell.
Other common methods of frequency estimation are based on phase differentiation of the signal. These methods fail if more than one signal is present. This is because the differential phase is derived from the sum of the signal components.
A cross spectral method provides a very accurate frequency estimate in severe noise, but cannot resolve two signals which are not already separated by the Fourier transform on which the method is based.
In a typical two-dimensional Fourier analysis, a signal is sampled to form a first matrix of rows and columns, where each column represents a time segment of data. A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) is performed on the columns of the first matrix to form a second matrix. The rows of the second matrix represent frequency and the columns represent time. That is, each row in the second matrix is a time-indexed vector, representing the time-varying spectral response of the signal at the frequency represented by the row. A second FFT is then performed on the rows of the second matrix.
In an FFT method known as the Large FFT method, a sufficient amount of data is selected from a signal of interest to form a vector, an FFT is computed for the vector, the magnitude of each element in the FFT is determined, and the element with the peak magnitude is used to estimate the frequency of the signal.
In an FFT method known as the Welch""s method, a signal is sampled to form a first matrix of rows and columns. An FFT is performed on the columns of the first matrix to form a second matrix. Each entry in the second matrix is replaced with its absolute value. The rows of the second matrix are then summed. The highest sum (i.e., the peak) is selected.
In an FFT method known as the Cross-Power Spectrum method, a signal is sampled to form a first matrix of rows and columns. The signal is then delayed a user-definable period of time. The delayed signal is then sampled to form a second matrix of rows and columns. An FFT is performed on the columns of the first matrix. An FFT is performed on the columns of the second matrix. The results of the two FFTs are multiplied together to form a third matrix. The third matrix is averaged. An amplitude and phase are computed from the averaged matrix. Determine the peak amplitude and calculate the frequency corresponding thereto. The phase of the signal is estimated as being located where the peak amplitude occurs. The frequency of the signal is estimated by interpolation as follows:
Fest=Fp+(PHI(i1, i2, . . . , in))/(2xc3x97xcfx80xc3x97DELAY),
where
Fest is the estimated signal frequency,
PHI is the estimated phase,
DELAY is the time by which the signal was delayed; and
Fp is the estimated frequency.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,930, entitled xe2x80x9cMETHOD OF CARRIER FREQUENCY ESTIMATIONxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,051, entitled xe2x80x9cMODIFIED FAST FREQUENCY ACQUISITION VIA ADAPTIVE LEAST SQUARES ALGORITHMxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,114, entitled xe2x80x9cFREQUENCY MEASUREMENT RECEIVER WITH MEANS TO RESOLVE AN AMBIGUITY IN MULTIPLE FREQUENCY ESTIMATIONxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,431, entitled xe2x80x9cMETHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OFFSET FREQUENCY ESTIMATION FOR A COHERENT RECEIVERxe2x80x9d; U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,124, entitled xe2x80x9cESTIMATION OF SIGNAL FREQUENCY USING FAST WALSH TRANSFORMxe2x80x9d; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,218,896, entitled xe2x80x9cVECTORED DEMODULATION AND FREQUENCY ESTIMATION APPARATUS AND METHOD,xe2x80x9d each disclose a device for or method of estimating frequency, but none of these patents disclose the device for and method of estimating frequency of the present invention. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,904,930; 5,165,051; 5,293,114; 5,640,431; 5,729,124; and 6,218,896 are hereby incorporated by reference into the specification of the present invention.
It is an object of the present invention to estimate the frequency of a signal.
It is another object of the present invention to estimate the frequency of a signal using multi-dimensional Fast Fourier Transforms (FFTs).
The present invention is a method of estimating the frequency of a signal using multidimensional Fast Fourier Transforms, where the first step of the method is receiving a signal for which its frequency is to be determined.
If the received signal is not in the form of a row vector then the second step is converting the received signal to a row vector.
The third step of the method is segmenting the row vector into a plurality of segmented row vectors.
The fourth step of the method is converting each of the plurality of segmented row vectors to a first matrix.
The fifth step of the method is multiplying each entry in the first matrix by a first weighting column-vector.
The sixth step of the method is performing a Fourier transform on each result of the fifth step.
The seventh step of the method is delaying the received signal by a user-definable period of time.
If the delayed signal is not in the form of a row vector then the eighth step of the method is converting the delayed signal into a delayed row vector.
The ninth step of the method is segmenting the delayed row vector into a plurality of segmented delayed row vectors.
The tenth step of the method is converting each of the plurality of segmented delayed row vectors to a second matrix.
The eleventh step of the method is multiplying each entry in the second matrix by a second weighting column-vector.
The twelfth step of the method is performing a Fourier transform on each result of the eleventh step.
The thirteenth step of the method is calculating the complex conjugate of each result of the twelfth step.
The fourteenth step of the method is forming a cross-spectrum matrix by multiplying each result of the sixth step by the corresponding complex conjugate calculated in the thirteenth step, where each entry in the cross-spectrum matrix includes a magnitude and a phase.
The fifteenth step of the method is selecting at least one magnitude entry in the cross-spectrum matrix that is above a user-definable threshold. In the preferred embodiment, the user-definable threshold is the average of the magnitude entries in the cross-spectrum matrix.
The sixteenth step of the method is setting an angular frequency of the signal equal to the phase of an entry in the cross-spectrum matrix that corresponds to the at least one entry selected in the fifteenth step.
The seventeenth step of the method is determining the frequency of each entry in the cross-spectrum matrix corresponding to the at least one entry selected in the fifteenth step as the corresponding estimated angular frequency divided by the product of 2xcfx80 and the time delay of the seventh step and proceeding to the next step if another row of the second matrix is desired to be processed, otherwise stopping.
The eighteenth step of the method is selecting a user-definable row from the second matrix as the row vector and returning to the third step for additional processing.

The United States of America as represented by the National Security Agency


The present invention provides a base of handheld device having Email access function. The base can connect to a computer or an information network to access Email data package of an Email, and display the content of the Email via the handheld device. The base comprises a casing having a receiving groove thereon for exactly receiving the handheld device. A control circuit board is disposed in the casing. The control circuit board comprises a control unit, a memory unit, and a transmission unit. The control unit is used to download the data package of the Email from the computer or the information network or to transfer the content of the Email to the handheld device for display. The memory unit is used to store an Email access program and memorizing the accessed Email data. The transmission unit is used to connect to the computer or the information network.

Handheld devices are small portable electronic devices like PDAs, mobile phones, palm computers, etc. Generally speaking, the handheld device cannot directly access network, and needs another accessory device to achieve network access. Moreover, because the capacity of the inbuilt storage memory of the handheld device is very small, even if it can access network, only the contents of emails can be read on the network, but the emails cannot be downloaded, resulting in much inconvenience.
Besides, in addition to text information, an Email usually has some appended files like jpg picture files, mpeg video files, or exe execution files. Although access of these appended files on a general computer has no problem, if the handheld device is used to access the Email, these appended files cannot be downloaded or the handheld device may crash because these appended files are large and the memory of the handheld device is insufficient. It is unable to inquire about whether there are appended files therein or how large these appended files are in advance when accessing the Email. This is thus a difficult problem to be solved.
Accordingly, the present invention aims to propose a base of handheld device having Email access function, wherein the base is disposed in a handheld device without changing the design of the original handheld device. The base can access an information network directly or via a computer to download an Email and then display the content of the Email via the handheld device.

Base of handheld device having email access function


The present invention provides luciferase with an amino acid sequence shown in FIG. 1, a gene encoding the the same, a recombinant vector DNA comprising the gene ligated at a site downstream of a promoter which can be expressed in a host cell, a transformant prepared by transforming the host cell with the recombinant vector DNA and a process of producing luciferase using the transformant.

Cypridina hilgendorfii is a marine ostracod crustacean living in the coast of the Sea of Japan, which releases a pale blue luminescent fluid when it is disturbed. The luminescence is produced by the oxidation of luciferin by an enzyme luciferase. The application of this luminescent system to the assay of a component contained in a sample in a trace amount is expected.
However, although luciferin can be chemically synthesized in a large amount, luciferase cannot be chemically synthesized because it is an enzyme, so that it is difficult to obtain luciferase in a large amount. This situation is also true in the case of luciferase of Cypridina hilgendorfii and highly purified luciferase of Cypridina hilgendorfii has not yet been obtained. Further, because of sea pollution, the catch of Cypridina hilgendorfii has drastically decreased. Thus, the constant supply of the luciferase of Cypridina hilgendorfii is not assured. Therefore, it is desired to establish a large scale production process of the enzyme, which employs the genetic recombination technique.
The object of the present invention is to attain the synthesis of highly purified luciferase by chemical synthesis process or by genetic recombination process, to provide a gene encoding the protein, to attain the expression of the cloned gene in an animal cell, yeast cell, in E. coli cell or the like, and to produce the highly purified enzyme in a large amount using the cell.

Luciferase, gene encoding the same and production process of the same

by Izumi Goto, Kaoru Goto, legal representatives


A rotatable exercise bar having a pair of the handgrips that are longitudinally and transversely offset from each other is provided with adjustment mechanisms that allow both the transverse and longitudinal distances of separation between the handgrips to be varied according to the comfort of the user. The adjustment mechanisms of the rotatable exercise bar permit customization of the exercise bar to accommodate most different physiques, arm lengths, muscles strengths and coordination capabilities among different individuals. Adjustment of the longitudinal distance of separation between the handgrips is provided by mounting the handgrips slidably upon the longitudinally and transversely separated handgrip sections of the bar. Releaseable clamps are located at both ends of each handgrip. Each handgrip may thereby be selectively positioned at a desired location along its associated handgrip section of the bar. The transverse section of the bar that connects the handgrip sections together is formed of a pair of telescoping members. A releaseable locking mechanism is provided to control the extent to which the inner telescoping member projects transversely out from the outer telescoping member. Selected positioning and releaseable locking of the telescoping members thereby permits adjustment of the transverse distance of separation between the exercise bar handgrips.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotatable exercise bar of the type having handgrip sections which are both longitudinally and transversely offset from each other and which are gripped by the user who uses them to rotate the bar about a generally horizontal axis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rotary exercise bars have existed for many years as aids for developing not only a person's arm muscles, but muscles throughout the body. Conventional rotary exercise bars are provided with a pair of handgrip sections that are longitudinally and transversely offset from each other. Handgrips are rotatably mounted on the handgrip sections of the bar and are used to rotate the exercise bar by manipulation in the manner of pedals of a bicycle or the cranks on a two-handed sailboat winch. Outboard extensions from the handgrip sections are provided to support weights.
While holding the exercise bar in a generally horizontal orientation, the user grasps the handgrips that are disposed about the handgrip sections of the exercise bar. While holding the exercise bar at about chest level, the user pushes outward with one hand while pulling inward with the other hand. This action rotates the exercise bar about a generally horizontal axis lying somewhere in between the axes of the two transversely displaced handgrip sections of the bar. As the user's muscles are developed, it is typically advisable to increase the amount of weight on the outboard ends of the revolving weight-lifting bar to further enhance muscle development.
A very major problem that exists with conventional revolving or rotatable weight-lifting bars is that the handgrips are located at fixed distances of both longitudinal and transverse separation from each other. While these distances of separation may be appropriate for one user whose arms are of a particular length and who has a particular physique, the longitudinal and transverse distances of separation of the handgrip may be totally inappropriate for a person whose arms are of even a slightly different length, or who has even a slightly different physique.
When the distances of longitudinal and transverse separation between the handgrips of a revolving weight-lifting bar are too long or too short for the user, the transverse connecting section between the two handgrip sections of the bar will often strike the user's wrists, elbows, or forearms as the bar is rotated. This is both annoying and unpleasant for the user, and can result in painful bruises. Also, the contact between the transverse connection section of the weight-lifting bar and the user's wrists, elbows, and forearms disrupts the rhythm of rotation of the bar and reduces the effectiveness of muscle development. Additionally, an individual can experience muscle strain due to inappropriate handgrip separation distances. Also, inadequate muscle development may result. In addition, if the distances are not comfortable for the user, rotation of the revolving weight-lifting bar is often extremely wobbly.


A page scanning device configured to generate a sequence mask for an expected frequency hopping sequence, select a first tone among a plurality of detected tones, first determine whether the first tone is included within an expected hop sequence, generate a first tone template in response to determining that the first tone is included within the expected hop sequence, align the first tone template with the plurality of detected tones based on the first tone, second determine whether the first tone template matches the plurality of detected tones, and detect a valid frequency hopping sequence in response to determining that the first tone template matches the plurality of detected tones.

Some example embodiments relate to detecting a Bluetooth page signal using a wideband receiver.
Bluetooth devices use frequency hopped transmissions to provide resilience to fading and manage radio-frequency (RF) interference. Reception of frequency-hopped transmissions, such as Bluetooth transmissions, is generally accomplished using a narrowband receiver. Such a narrowband receiver includes a frequency-hopping local oscillator that hops independently of a transmitter of the frequency-hopped transmissions. Synchronization is established when a frequency hop of the transmitter coincides with a frequency hop of the local oscillator.
During a Bluetooth page scan, the scanning Bluetooth device hops slowly by staying on one hop frequency for an entire scan window, while the paging Bluetooth device hops quickly by alternating between two trains of 16 channels every 10 ms. When the paging Bluetooth device transmits on the hop frequency the scanning Bluetooth device is listening on, the page packet is received and decoded. If the decoded packet is a paging packet addressed to the scanning Bluetooth device, a connection between the two devices is established.
Page scanning is an ongoing, background operation that is periodically performed by a page scanning device. The power consumed during page scanning increases according to the current drawn by the receiver of the page scanning device while enabled and the length of time that the receiver is enabled.

Page scanning devices, computer-readable media, and methods for bluetooth page scanning using a wideband receiver


A system and method for testing yarn altering devices in which the yarn is moved under precision yarn controls such as speed and tension, and then through the yarn altering device. Downstream of the yarn altering device the yarn is imaged, and from the image the widths of closely-spaced portions of the yarn are determined to establish the effect on the yarn of the yarn altering device.

There are many types of yarn altering devices currently used in yarn production. Air operated devices include texturing devices that continuously tangle the yarn filaments to give the yarn more bulk, and entanglement devices that intermittently tangle or consolidate the filaments of multi-filament yarns so that the yarns may be more easily handled in future usages of the yarn such as in weaving and knitting. Other types of yarn altering devices that do not use air as the mechanical processing means include mechanical texturing devices, false twist devices, singeing or flame treating devices used to remove hairs, yarn brushing devices to increase the bulk by raising the hairs of a yarn, and yarn waxing devices that lubricate the yarns.
Such yarn altering devices are typically operated at very high speed and see extremely large amounts of yarn on a daily basis. Accordingly, the devices are subject to wear and breakdown. The integrity of these yarn altering devices and the other yarn handling systems in a manufacturing process are typically monitored by testing packages of yarn that have been processed through the production equipment. If there is a problem with the yarn on a package, the test personnel know that there is a problem with the equipment somewhere in the manufacturing process. However, it is then difficult to pinpoint the specific problem without being able to measure the performance of any yarn altering device within the production system.
When any yarn altering device in a production process is replaced, it of course may be the source of a problem. However, once the device is placed in production, there is really no means of easily pinpointing that that device is the source of a problem until the yarn produced is tested at a later time, and by that time large quantities of defective yarn may have been made.

System and method for testing yarn altering devices


An adapter for facilitating use of a bullnose mounting fixture on the spindle of a unit of machining equipment with a collet having a collet head larger than the bullnose bore includes a collet-receiving component disposed symmetrically about an adapter rotational axis. An adapter bore through the collet-receiving component with the collet body so that the collet body fits coaxially into the adapter bore. A collet-head-receiving portion of the collet-receiving component defines a collet-head-receiving space having a size and shape that mates with the collet head so that the collet head fits coaxially into the collet-head-receiving space for purposes of enabling the collet-head-receiving portion to close the collet head against a workpiece. A sleeve extending axially from the collet-head-receiving portion mates with the bullnose bore for purposes of mounting the collet-receiving component on the bullnose in an operative position such that the collet-head-receiving portion is disposed ahead of the forward face of the bullnose and the bullnose rotational axis and the adapter rotational axis coincide. One embodiment includes a collar that fits over the forward end portion of the bullnose. A collet adapter assembly includes the adapter, a collet, and an adapter-nut-and-machine-screw combination for coupling the collet to the draw tube on the unit of machining equipment. A mounting fixture constructed according to the invention includes at least two screw holes in its forward end for use in screwing a collet-head-receiving component onto the forward face of the mounting fixture.

1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to machining equipment, and more particularly to a collet adapter for adapting a collet to a mounting fixture having a bore with a bore forward bore entrance smaller than the head of the collet.
2. Description of Related Art
A collet is a workpiece-holding component that includes a collet head and a collet body. The collet head has multiple, circumferentially spaced, workpiece-gripping segments. The collet body fits into a collet-holding mounting fixture (herein called a xe2x80x9cbullnosexe2x80x9d) that is bolted onto the rotatable spindle of a lathe or other unit of machining equipment. The combination of the bullnose and the collet is sometimes called a collet chuck.
The bullnose defines a bullnose bore into which the collet body fits, and a tapered bullnose bore wall at a tapered forward entrance to the bullnose bore that provides a bullnose cam surface facing the collet. After inserting the collet body into the bullnose bore and coupling the inward end of the collet body to a hydraulically powered, axially movable, activating linkage on the unit of machining equipment (sometimes called a xe2x80x9cdraw tubexe2x80x9d), the machinist actuates the draw tube to further advance the collet body axially into the bullnose bore. As that occurs, a frusto-conically shaped circumference of the collet head (i.e., a collet cam surface) bears against the tapered bullnose bore wall (i.e., the bullnose cam surface). The resulting cam action closes the collet head against the workpiece, thereby to hold and rotate the workpiece for machining purposes.
Although this type of collet chuck works well in many instances, certain problems arise with a larger workpiece. In some cases, the workpiece is sufficiently large that the collet head is bigger than the entrance to the bullnose bore. So the collet is provided with a collet cam surface in the form of a frusto-conically shaped collet neck intermediate the collet head and the collet body. The tapered bullnose bore wall bears against the collet neck to close the collet head, instead of bearing against the circumference of the head. As a result, a lesser component of force is transmitted to the collet head and so the collet head does not close as tightly against the workpiece as the machinist may desire for a firm hold.
Of course, the machinist can maintain a set of bullnose components with different size bores. But that is an expensive alternative. Also, it involves the time and inconvenience of changing the bullnose. Thus, machinists need a better way to use a bullnose with a collet having a head larger than the entrance to the bullnose bore.
In line with the above, it is an object of this invention to overcome the foregoing and other disadvantages of prior art collet chucks. This object is achieved by providing a collet adapter for a collet having a collet head larger than the entrance to the bullnose bore. The collet adapter includes a hollow sleeve portion that fits into the bullnose bore and a collet-head-receiving portion that occupies a position ahead of the bore. A cam surface on the collet-head-receiving portion mates with the frusto-conically shaped circumference of a particular collet head for purposes of bearing against the collet head to close the collet. The machinist simply uses the collet adapter when the size of the workpiece dictates use of the larger collet head. A set of different size collet adapters enables use of just one bullnose for various collet head sizes.
To paraphrase some of the more precise language appearing in the claims, an adapter constructed according to the invention includes a collet-receiving component disposed symmetrically about an adapter rotational axis. It includes a collet-head-receiving portion and a sleeve portion, and it defines an adapter bore having a size that mates with the collet body so that the collet body fits coaxially into the adapter bore. The collet-head-receiving portion defines a collet-head-receiving space having a size and shape that mate with the collet head so that the collet head fits coaxially into the collet-head-receiving space for purposes of enabling the collet-head-receiving portion to close the collet head against a workpiece. The sleeve portion is centered on the adapter rotational axis and extends axially from the collet-head-receiving portion. It mates with the bullnose bore so that the sleeve portion fits coaxially into the bullnose bore. It functions as means for mounting the collet-receiving component on the bullnose in an operative position such that the collet-head-receiving portion is disposed ahead of the forward face of the bullnose and the bullnose rotational axis and the adapter rotational axis coincide.
A collet adapter assembly constructed according to the invention includes the adapter, a collet, and an adapter-nut-and-machine-screw combination for coupling the collet body to the draw tube on a unit of machining equipment. A mounting fixture constructed according to the invention includes at least two screw holes in its forward end for use in screwing a collet-head-receiving component onto the forward face of the mounting fixture.
Thus, the invention significantly facilitates use of a bullnose mounting fixture with a collet having a collet head larger than the forward entrance to the bullnose bore. The following illustrative drawings and detailed description make the foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention more apparent.


An apparatus for clamping workpieces which have to be machined by a machine tool. The apparatus comprises a rectangular frame including two longitudinal frame members and two transverse frame members. Clamping means are provided to fix the workpieces to be machined to said rectangular frame. The clamping means comprise at least one auxiliary frame which is removably inserted in said rectangular frame. Each of the auxiliary frames includes two clamping bars which can be adjustably connected to each other and the ends thereof being adapted to be connected to the longitudinal frame members of the rectangular frame such that they are adjustable in the longitudinal direction of the longitudinal frame. The clamping bars comprise a plurality of continuous threaded bores running essentially perpendicular to the clamping bars, said bores being enlarged to a predetermined nominal diameter and said bores being adapted to selectively receive a clamping screw.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention refers to an apparatus for clamping workpieces which have to be machined by a machine tool, the clamping apparatus comprising a rectangular frame means including two longitudinal frame members and two transverse frame members, and clamping means adapted to fix the workpieces to be machined to the rectangular frame.
Further, the invention refers to a clamping bar adapted to be used in an apparatus for clamping workpieces which have to be machined by a machine tool.
2. Prior Art
If a workpiece is to be machined by means of a machine tool, the workpiece has to be fixed or clamped in a suitable manner to the worktable of the machine tool or within the working area of the machine tool. It is well known in the prior art to provide the worktable of the machine tool with undercut grooves which are adapted to receive displaceable clamping bolts. By means of such clamping bolts and additionally by means of hoop-shaped fasteners a workpiece to be machined can be fixed to the worktable of the machine tool. Such a clamping method is cumbersome and time-consuming and often not suitable for small workpieces.
Furthermore, a clamping apparatus is known which comprises a frame provided with clamping members. Usually, according to a well known embodiment, one side of the frame is in the form of a stationary clamping jaw, and a further, displaceable jaw is provided which is under the influence of one or several clamping screws, spindles or the like. Thus, the workpiece to be clamped can be fixed between the stationary and the displaceable jaw.
A main drawback of such a known clamping apparatus is that only one single or several workpieces having exactly identical size can be clamped. Another drawback is that such a clamping frame comprising a fixed and a displaceable jaw, if it is to be used for the clamping of big workpieces or a plurality of identically sized small workpieces, is either to flexible since it resiliently deforms during clamping of the workpiece and workpieces, respectively, or is extraordinarily bulky and heavy if it is to be designed with the required rigidity.
In many applications, particularly if a workpiece has to be machined by wire erosion, it is of paramount importance that the clamping frame be designed to be open such that the erosion wire can pass through the clamping frame. This request renders it even more difficult to design such a clamping frame such that it posses the required rigidity without being too bulky and heavy.

Apparatus for clamping workpieces which have to be machined by a machine tool


A web error recovery divert system is provided. A web is printed and scanned for errors. An error is identified in a grouping of sections or pages. A replacement grouping of sections or pages is printed. The replacement grouping includes an identifying mark or banner page indicating the presence of a replacement section. The web is redirected through a cutter and diverter that identifies the banner page and, at the appropriate locations, cuts and removes the grouping having the error. The replacement grouping and the remainder of the web is driven to a post-processing unit for further operations.

Quality control is an essential part of high-volume printing processes. Despite ever-increasing reliability of print engines and other web processing devices, it is not uncommon for errors to occur on a section of a long printed web. In production, a continuous web of printable material is processed in a single run and, typically, at a later time the web is separated into sheets for further processing and sorted. In such high volume operations, it is often difficult to identify individual errors on the web.
A typical scan of a web for errors involves either a manual or automated inspection of the web at predetermined intervals. The web is sometimes slowed or stopped to allow visual inspection. Most scanning equipment is incapable of adequately checking the web at high speed and, thus, error checking is usually performed only at intervals.
When an operator or an automated mechanism locates an error at a given interval, a reprint must be performed to replace the damaged web section (typically one or more "pages"). At this time, the operator must decide how many pages to replace. The operator must use a judgment in determining how much of the web requires reprinting. One disadvantage to this technique of error checking is that it requires a decision on the part of the operator as to the number of sheets to replace. In addition, the damaged section must be tracked, thenceforth, as part a larger continuous web, to insure that it is eliminated when the web is rewound onto a receiving roll, or is processed in a post-production operation. In substance, the manual location of erroneous web sections is time-consuming, imprecise and requires substantially tracking technology that increases the risk of unreliable printing.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a system that detects errors in a web and provides a quick and effective solution for eliminating errors without employing complex tracking techniques. The system should generate minimal waste of usable web sections and should enable accurate reproduction of eliminated web sections so that the total desired volume of the print run is achieved.


A laser diode device includes a laminated structure in which a first compound semiconductor layer, a third compound semiconductor layer that has a light emitting region and a saturable absorption region, and a second compound semiconductor layer are sequentially layered, a second electrode, and a first electrode. The laminated structure has ridge stripe structure. The second electrode is separated into a first section to obtain forward bias state by applying a direct current to the first electrode through the light emitting region and a second section to add electric field to the saturable absorption region by an isolation trench. When minimum width of the ridge stripe structure is WMIN, and width of the ridge stripe structure of the second section of the second electrode in an interface between the second section of the second electrode and the isolation trench is W2, 1<W2/WMIN is satisfied.

The present disclosure relates to a laser diode device.
A high power and ultrashort pulse laser diode device that is composed of GaN compound semiconductor and that has light emitting wavelength of 405 nm band has been expected to be a light source for a volumetric optical disc system expected as a next generation optical disc system displacing the Blu-ray optical disc system or has been expected to be a light source needed in the medical field, the bio imaging field and the like. As a method of generating short pulse light in the laser diode device, mainly two methods that are gain switching method and mode-locking method are known. The mode locking is further categorized into active mode locking and passive mode locking. To generate light pulses based on the active mode locking, an external resonator is configured by using a mirror or a lens, and further radio frequency (RF) modulation should be added to the laser diode device. Meanwhile, in the passive mode locking, light pulses are able to be generated by simple direct current drive by using self pulsation operation of the laser diode device.
To enable the self pulsation operation of the laser diode device, the laser diode device should be provided with a light emitting region and a saturable absorption region. Based on arrangement state of the light emitting region and the saturable absorption region, the laser diode device is able to be categorized into SAL (saturable absorber layer) type and WI (weakly index guide) type in which the light emitting region and the saturable absorption region are arranged in the vertical direction, and bi-section type in which the light emitting region and the saturable absorption region are apposed in the resonator direction. The bi-section type laser diode device is known from, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 2004-007002, 2004-188678, and 2008-047692. It is known that a bi-section type GaN laser diode device has larger effect of saturable absorption and is able to generate light pulse with a narrower width than in the SAL type laser diode device.
In general, the bi-section type GaN laser diode device includes a laminated structure in which a first compound semiconductor layer that has a first conductivity type and is composed of GaN compound semiconductor, a third compound semiconductor layer that has a light emitting region and a saturable absorption region composed of GaN compound semiconductor, and a second compound semiconductor layer that has a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type and is composed of GaN compound semiconductor are sequentially layered, a strip-shaped second electrode formed on the second compound semiconductor layer, and a first electrode electrically connected to the first compound semiconductor layer. The second electrode is separated into a first section obtaining forward bias state by applying a direct current to the first electrode through the light emitting region and a second section adding electric field through the saturable absorption region from the first electrode by an isolation trench.

Laser diode device including a top electrode with first and second sections