A shelf divider system that includes a shelf base (12) defining a support for multiple products, which base has a front (16) and a rear (18) and multiple parallel elongate slots (50) in the base. The slots extend in a direction from front to rear in multiple sets (53) of at least two aligned slots. An upstanding transversely extending front stop (26) mounted to the base at the front has an upper edge (31) and at or adjacent the upper edge respective seats (46) associated with the sets of at least two aligned slots. A plurality of dividers (28) each have a bottom edge (36) with a more rearward rearwardly extending protrusion (42) and a more forward depending tab means (48), and a front edge (32) with an upper forwardly extending protrusion (44), whereby each divider is selectively releasably engageable with any of the sets of at least two aligned slots by locating the rearwardly extending protrusion under a rear edge of a rear slot and pivoting the divider downwardly to locate the tab means in a front slot and the forwardly extending protrusion in an associated seat on the front stop, whereupon the divider is not disengagable except by reversing the pivoting action.

A wide variety of devices has been developed to display and merchandise products. Prior art includes flat shelves with separators or dividers to present products in straight rows for better shelf management. U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,276 discloses a divider with lateral stabiliser feet that is extendable longitudinally for deeper shelves. Further alternatives have included front and rear tracks attached to the shelf to which longitudinal tracks are attached to move product forward as disclosed in International patent publication WO2007071024.
These arrangements were further improved by angling a flat shelf fitted with dividers to create a broad genus of gravity feed products. However, such flat shelf surfaces had a poor co-efficient of friction and products did not slide effectively.
A further advance, as disclosed in U.S. design Pat. 275058, involved glides with slip surfaces. They facilitated the gravity feed but had the disadvantage of having a fixed footprint. This was further improved by gravity feed glides that had adjustable front and rear fitments to accommodate products of varying sizes, as in U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,209.
An alternative showcase involved the combining of the glide and the divider into one separator device as disclosed in the applicant's earlier U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,557. Here the upright device has two lateral base protrusions with fine longitudinal ribs on their upper surfaces to gravity feed product. Channels to gravity feed items are created when two such devices are placed side by side on an open shelf frame. Ribs under the front and rear engage in a selected pair of slots arranged in two rows at the front and rear of the shelf frame. The ability to gravity feed is improved but product has to be taken off the shelf to re-configure the shelf.
Typically, divider devices include front lateral flanges that provide stops at the shelf front to prevent forward movement of items off the shelf. Again, product has to be taken off the shelf to reconfigure the shelf. U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,173 discloses an alternative configuration in which a discrete stop extends across the front of the shelf and each divider clips to the stop.
A further advance involved the development of an integral slip mat to which independent dividers are fitted. This mat has a crosshatch of interlocking lateral and transverse ribs into which protrusions on the base of the divider engage. A known system includes a mat that can be adjusted to accommodate a wide variety of shelf sizes by first piercing the top membrane of the mat and then snapping off the bottom. The system also has dividers with weakened sections to allow them to be shortened for shallower shelves. However, these dividers are difficult to align in the longitudinal channels in the mat, and when engaged in the channels are difficult to disengage, rendering realignment of products on the shelf slow and time consuming. Systems of this general kind are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,874,846 and 6,982,260.
It would be advantageous if a system could be provided that permitted an operator to quickly and easily disengage, re-engage and align dividers without any need to clear product from the shelf.
Within the genus of gravity feed systems it is known to move product forward by means of rollers. Disclosures include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,089,385, 6,409,026 and 6,497,326. Prior art for both retail and industrial application has included single roller tracks which when aligned in parallel can bias product from the rear to the front of a shelf. Such systems have the disadvantage that they are complex and costly to manufacture, and are designed to be fitted to specialised shelving.
Therefore, it is an object of a second aspect of the invention to provide a roller assembly that at least in part improves on prior art systems.
Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art.


Embodiments of this application disclose a board, an optical module, a MAC chip, a DSP, and an information processing method. The board in the embodiments of this application includes a media access control (MAC) chip, a digital signal processor (DSP), and an equalizer. The MAC chip is configured to send first information to the DSP at an optical network unit (ONU) online stage, where the first information includes a first ONU identifier. The DSP is configured to receive the first information, and determine a first reference equalization parameter, where the first reference equalization parameter is related to the first ONU identifier. The DSP is further configured to set an equalization parameter of the equalizer to the first reference equalization parameter.

In a current network structure, a plurality of optical fibers are laid out and new technologies such as dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) are applied to implement deployment of a backbone network. In addition, as broadband access technologies develop and a passive optical network (PON) system proliferates and rapidly expands, a section between the backbone network and a local area network or a home user known as the "last mile" is implemented.
The PON includes an optical line terminal (OLT), an optical distribution network (ODN), and a plurality of optical network units (ONU). The OLT is configured to connect to the backbone network, and the ONU is configured to connect to a regional network or the home user. For example, a common ONU is an optical modem. The OLT communicates with the plurality of ONUs through the ODN. The ODN includes a feeder fiber, an optical splitter, and a distribution fiber that include different passive optical devices. The passive optical devices mainly include a single-mode fiber and an optical cable, an optical fiber ribbon and a ribbon optical cable, an optical connector, a passive optical splitter, a passive optical attenuator and an optical fiber connector, and the like.
When the OLT is connected to the ONU and receives an optical signal sent by the ONU, the OLT cannot immediately obtain effective information from the optical signal, and needs to first perform signal equalization processing on the optical signal using an electrical domain equalization technology, for example, an optical digital signal processing (oDSP) technology. Specifically, the OLT needs to first determine a reference equalization parameter and performs signal equalization processing on the received optical signal through an equalizer by using the reference equalization parameter, to obtain a processed optical signal. Then, the OLT can obtain effective information from the processed optical signal.
Because passive devices and distances between the OLT and different ONUs are different, reference equalization parameters required for optical signals sent by different ONUs are different. Therefore, in the prior art, each time the OLT receives an optical signal sent by an ONU, the OLT may first preset an initial equalization parameter that is usually all 0, and then perform iterative convergence on the preset initial equalization parameter using the optical signal, to obtain a corresponding reference equalization parameter. Finally, the OLT performs signal equalization processing on the optical signal using the reference equalization parameter, to obtain an optical signal from which the OLT can obtain effective information. However, the iterative convergence requires a period of time. The OLT can perform, only after the period of time, signal equalization processing on the optical signal to obtain the processed optical signal, and obtains effective information from the processed optical signal. This causes a relatively long delay.

Board, optical module, OLT, and information processing method


An optical reproducing method for an optical medium including a disk-like substrate having a plurality of tracks associated with a plurality of grooves. A plurality of zones are provided with each zone including at least two tracks. Radially adjacent units of a respective zone are delimited by a pair of radial lines joined to form a central angle at an apex proximate to a center of the disk-like substrate with each unit of a respective zone being delimited by the same central angle and units of different zones being delimited by different central angles. The grooves are wobbled in the radial direction and the length is the same for the different zones. The method includes irradiating an optical spot on the optical medium, detecting a reflected beam from the optical medium, and reproducing information on the optical medium by using a signal obtained by the reflected beam.

The present invention relates to information recording media, and particularly to a high-density information recording medium and a high-density optical recording medium of which the track width is smaller than a beam spot or a detecting means such as a magnetic head.
Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 6-176404, for example, describes an example of a high-density (narrow track) recording medium. This example uses as a recording medium an optical recording medium in which groove portions and land portions are formed on a substrate and information recording areas are formed on both of the groove portions and the land portions. Prepits are formed on a virtual prolonged line of a boundary portion between the groove portion and the land portion as identification information of a recording unit (sector), whereby recording information is recorded on both of the groove portions and the land portions and identification (address) information indicative of a recording area is handled by the prepits. Also, one prepit commonly uses address information for a pair of groove portion and land portion. According to this system, when the recording medium of this system is applied to a phase change type recording medium and a magneto-optical recording medium, information from the adjacent land portion or groove portion can be prevented from being mixed into the groove portion and the land portion owing to an interference effect caused within the beam spot (i.e. crosstalk can be cancelled out), and hence the tracks of the recording medium can be narrowed, thereby making a high-density recording become possible.
However, in the example according to the related art, inasmuch as information indicative of the position on the information recording medium is concentrated in the prepit portions and the prepit portions located in a discrete fashion, position information cannot be obtained from portions other than the prepit portions. As a consequence, it is difficult to control a rotational speed of a disk precisely with a high reliability. There is then presented the problem from a reliability standpoint that the recording medium according to the relate art is not persistent to, in particular, defects or the like.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an information recording medium in which the aforementioned problems can be solved and which can be made high in recording density and highly reliable by assigning position information to other portions than prepit portions.
A second object of the present invention is to provide an information recording and/or reproducing method in which the aforementioned problems can be solved and in which information can be recorded and/or reproduced with a high recording density and with a high reliability by using an information recording medium in which position information is assigned to other portions than prepits.
In order to attain the above-mentioned first object, the present invention used the means which follow:
(1) In an information recording medium having almost spiral-like or concentric tracks comprising both of groove portions and a land portion between the groove portions, the recording medium is divided into groups of a plurality of areas in the radius direction, each track is divided at circular arc recording units having the same central angle arranged to be radial in the radius direction within each group, identification information indicative of the recording unit is provided in the track at every recording unit, the each track is divided into groups such that a length of a circular arc-shaped recording unit becomes almost constant between the groups, and the groove portion and the land portion are wobbled in the radius direction of the information recording medium.
Thus, position information can be reliably obtained in the recording portions because the identification information is provided at every recording unit, and the groove portions and the land portions, which are the recording portions, are wobbled. In other words, recorded information can be accessed reliably and recording information can be positioned with a high accuracy. Further, since the recording units are arranged to be positioned in the radius direction of the information recording medium, the tracks can be accessed with ease, and a crosstalk caused between position information of each recording unit can be suppressed to the minimum. Since the tracks are disposed in such a manner that the lengths of the circular arc-shaped portions which are the recording units become almost the same, the recording density becomes approximately uniform. Thus, it becomes possible to efficiently use the whole surface of the disk. Furthermore, it is possible to correct the displacement of tracking with a high accuracy.
Japanese laid-open patent publication No. 6-243468 describes a technology in which grooves are wobbled and a linear velocity of a disk is calculated by a wobble cycle detecting circuit, thereby rotating the disk at a constant linear velocity (CLV).
(2) Wobble cycles and phases of the groove portion and the land portion are uniformly arranged to be radial with respect to the adjacent tracks within each group, whereby the wobbling between the adjacent tracks can be reliably reproduced without interference. Also, since the widths of the respective tracks become constant, the recording characteristics can be prevented from being affected.
(3) A constant integral multiple of the cycle at which the groove portion and the land portion are wobbled is made coincident with the length of the circular arc-shaped recording unit. Thus, the starting point and the ending point of the recording unit can be detected reliably, and it becomes possible to detect an accurate position in the recording unit. Moreover, since the length of the recording unit and the wobble cycle in which the groove portion and the land portion are wobbled are synchronized with each other, it is possible to automatically and constantly keep the relative speed of the recording medium constant by making the frequency of the wobbling become constant.
(4) The maximum values of the amplitudes of wobbling in which the groove portion and the land portion are wobbled were selected to be smaller than one-tenth of the track width. Thus, the influence that is exerted upon the recording and reproducing characteristics by the above-mentioned wobbling could be suppressed to be less than 1xe2x88x92cos (180/10)=xe2x88x9226 dB, and the influence which affects an S/N (signal-to-noise ratio)(xcx9c20 dB) necessary for the normal recording and/or reproduction can be suppressed to be negligibly small.
(5) Identification information was formed by prepits which were very small concave portions and convex portions disposed in the spacing between the groove portion and the land portion. Thus, it becomes easy to mass-produce an information recording medium with identification information previously provided therein by a simple manufacturing process such as an injection molding. Therefore, a productivity with which an information recording medium is mass-produced can be raised.
(6) Identification information was disposed in an intermediate portion formed between a track and a track adjoining to the former track. Thus, since one identification information can be used by both of the two tracks, identification information assigned to one information area is doubled, and hence a reliability of the identification information can be improved. The information tracks in which identification information is disposed can be discriminated from each other by effectively utilizing a difference between the positions of the directions along the track. Moreover, since a relationship between the identification information of the adjacent track and the identification information of the track falls within a constant range, it becomes possible to discriminate the track from the identification information of the adjacent track.
(7) The track of the groove portion and the track of the land portion were disposed at least at one portion of the one circumference of the information recording medium in such a way as to be connected from the groove portion to the land portion or from the land portion to the groove portion. Thus, since it becomes possible to continuously access the tracks from the recording track of the groove portion to the recording track of the land portion, an effective transfer rate of information can be raised. Therefore, it becomes easy to record and/or reproduce successive information such as moving picture information on and/or from the information recording medium.
The present invention used the following means in order to attain the above-mentioned second object:
(8) The above-mentioned information recording medium was used, and light was irradiated on the track. Then, a wobbling signal was detected by detecting reflected light with at least two split photo detectors, and information was recorded in the information recording medium and/or reproduced from the information recording medium by controlling a rotational speed of the information recording medium in such a manner that the cycle of the detected wobbling signal becomes constant. Thus, a rotational speed of the disk-like information recording medium can be controlled with ease and with a high accuracy in such a manner that a scanning velocity of light on the information recording medium becomes almost constant.
(9) The above-mentioned information recording medium was used, and light was irradiated on the track. Then, a wobbling signal was detected by detecting reflected light with at least two split photo detectors, and information was recorded on the information recording medium by using a clock which was generated in synchronism with the phase of the detected wobbling signal. Thus, since it becomes easy to make the length of each recording unit on the information recording medium become constant, the lengths of extra gaps on the information recording medium can be minimized.
(10) The above-mentioned information recording medium was used, and light was irradiated on the track. Then, a wobbling signal was detected by detecting reflected light with at least two split photo detectors, and a displacement of the track was detected by comparing the amplitudes of the wobbling signals obtained from the two photo detectors of the split photo detector. Thus, since information can be recorded on the information recording medium and/or reproduced from the information recording medium while the displacement amount of the track is being monitored constantly, a reliability in the positioning servo can be improved greatly.
(11) The recording medium is an optical disk of a concentric-shaped or spiral-like groove configuration arranged along the tracks. This groove structure is wobbled in the radius direction of the optical disk. The track of the optical disk is divided into a plurality of recording units by radial boundary lines in the track direction. Of the recording units thus divided by the radial boundary lines, at least two recording units adjoining in the radius direction of the optical disk constitute one zone, and the groove structures included in the respective recording units within one zone have almost the same number of the wobbling.
Thus, since the position information can be highly reliably obtained even from the recording portions owing to the wobbling, recorded information can be accessed reliably. Hence, it becomes possible to accurately position recorded information on the optical disk. Further, since the recording units are arranged to be radial in the radius direction within the group (zone), recorded information among the tracks can be accessed with ease, and a crosstalk between the position information of the respective recording units can be suppressed to the minimum.
The recording unit need not always agree with the length of the sector, and a plurality of sectors of more than two sectors may be collected as the recording unit. Furthermore, a plurality of recording units may be collected as a logical sector or a logical block used to correct an error. At any rate, the recording unit herein will be referred to as an area of almost constant length provided within the optical disk.
(12) The recording medium is an optical disk of a concentric-shaped or spiral-like groove configuration arranged along the tracks. This groove structure is wobbled in the radius direction of the optical disk. The track of the optical disk is divided into a plurality of recording units by radial boundary lines in the track direction. Of the recording units thus divided by the radial boundary lines, at least two recording units which are adjoining to each other in the radius direction of the optical disk constitute one zone. The optical disk includes a plurality of zones, and the groove structures included in one recording units within any zone have almost the same number of the wobbling.
Thus, since the relationship between the information recording unit and the duration of the wobbling becomes equal on the whole surface of the optical disk, it becomes possible to control the rotational speed of the optical disk and to generate the recording clock by using the wobble signal without switching the wobble signal in the zone. Therefore, a density within the optical disk can be made almost uniform by the apparatus of the simple configuration, and hence it becomes easy to utilize the whole surface of the optical disk efficiently.
(13) The recording medium is an optical disk having a concentric-shaped or a spiral-like groove configuration, and the groove structure is wobbled in the radius direction of the optical disk. The groove structure of the optical disk is divided into a plurality of recording units in the circumference direction of the optical disk by the radial boundary lines. Of the recording units thus divided by the radial boundary lines, at least two recording units which are adjoining to each other in the radius direction constitute one zone, and the groove structures which are adjoining to each other in the radius direction of the optical disk have substantially the same wobbling cycle.
Alternatively, there might be used the following means:
(14) The recording medium is an optical disk having a concentric-shaped or a spiral-like groove structure, and the groove structure is wobbled in the radius direction of the optical disk. The groove structure of the optical disk is divided into a plurality of recording units in the circumference direction of the optical disk by the radial boundary lines. Of the recording units thus divided by the radial boundary lines, at least two recording units which are adjoining to each other in the radius direction of the optical disk constitute one zone. The groove structures of the adjacent recording unit areas in the radius direction of the optical disk within one zone have almost the same wobbling cycle and the same number of the wobbling.
Thus, since the position information can be reliably obtained even from the recording portion, recorded information on the optical disk can be accessed highly reliably, and the recorded information can be positioned with a high accuracy. Furthermore, since the wobbling is arranged to be radial in the radius direction within the group (zone) and the phases of the wobbling are the same in the grooves, it becomes easy to access the tracks of the optical disk. Also, it becomes easy to detect the wobbling signal at a high quality of a signal. Strictly speaking from a theory standpoint, although this wobbling signal has a cycle proportional to the position at which the groove is located in the radius direction within one zone, the grooves which are close to each other like the grooves within one zone have almost the same wobbling cycle. Incidentally, the number of the wobbling need not always be limited to an integral number within the recording unit area.
(15) The recording medium is an optical disk having a concentric-shaped or a spiral-like groove structure. The groove structure is wobbled in the radius direction of the optical disk, and the groove structure of the optical disk is divided into a plurality of recording units in the circumference direction of the optical disk by the radial boundary lines. Of the recording units thus divided by the radial boundary lines, at least two recording units which are adjoining to each other in the radius direction constitute one zone. The optical disk includes a plurality of zones, and the groove structure has almost the same wobbling cycle in the unit areas which are adjoining to each other in the radius direction of the optical disk within every zone, and also has the same number of the wobbling.
Thus, since the relationship between the information recording unit and the duration of the wobbling cycle becomes equal on the whole surface of the optical disk, it becomes possible to control the rotational speed of the optical disk and to generate a recording clock by using the wobbling signal without switching the wobbling signal in the zone. Thus, since a density within the optical disk can be made almost uniform by the apparatus of the simple configuration, it becomes easy to utilize the whole surface of the optical disk efficiently.
(16) The recording medium is an optical disk having a concentric-shaped or a spiral-like groove structure. The groove structure is wobbled in the radius direction of the optical disk, and the track of the optical disk is divided into a plurality of recording units in the track direction by the radial boundary lines. Of the recording units thus divided by the radial boundary lines, at least two recording units which are adjoining to each other in the radius direction of the optical disk constitute one zone. Central angles corresponding to one period of the wobbling of the groove structure included in the respective recording units within one zone are the same, and the starting positions of the wobbling are arranged to be radial in the radius direction of the optical disk at each recording unit.
Thus, since the wobbling signal between the adjacent tracks can be reliably reproduced without interference and the width of each track becomes constant, the recording characteristics can be protected from being affected.
(17) The recording medium is an optical disk having a concentric-shaped or a spiral-like groove structure. The groove structure is wobbled in the radius direction of the optical disk. The track of the optical disk is divided into a plurality of recording units in the circumference direction of the optical disk by the radial boundary lines. Of the recording units thus divided by the radial boundary lines, at least two recording units which are adjoining to each other in the radius direction constitute one zone. Assuming that N is one integral number that is made common to all of the recording units on the optical disk, then the optical disk includes a plurality of zones, and all wobble cycles included in one recording unit of each zone is set to approximately 1/N times the length of the recording unit.
Thus, since the relationship between the information recording unit and the duration of the wobbling cycle becomes equal on the whole surface of the optical disk, it becomes possible to control the rotational speed of the optical disk and to generate the recording clock by using the wobble signal without switching the wobble signal depending on the zone, and hence a density within the optical disk can be made almost uniform by the apparatus of the simple configuration. As a consequence, it becomes easy to make effective use of the whole surface of the optical disk efficiently. Moreover, since the integral multiple of the wobbling cycle agrees with the length of the recording unit, the phases of the wobbling signal can be perfectly connected between the adjacent recording units without fractions. Hence, it becomes easy to generate a timing signal such as a clock over a consecutive recording unit by using the wobbling signal. The fact that the wobbling signal is connected without fractions as described above means that the phases of the wobbling signals are continuous between the adjacent recording units, and the wobbling signals need not always be continuously connected physically. Specifically, although it is possible to use such a wobble structure that the wobbling signal is dropped out over several cycles at the boundary portion of the recording units, if such dropout portion is interpolated (compensated for), then the phase of the wobble signal is continuously connected in the adjacent recording unit areas.
(18) Identification information was provided at every recording unit. Thus, it becomes easy to access the recording unit on the optical disk. Also, it becomes possible to fix the position of the beam spot at all positions on the optical disk by combining a signal detected from the wobbling and the identification information. Therefore, a reliability with which information is recorded on the optical disk and/or reproduced from the optical disk can be improved. Moreover, an accuracy with which recorded information is positioned on the recording medium can be improved. Thus, a buffer area required when information is recorded on the recording medium can be reduced. As a consequence, it becomes possible to enlarge a recording capacity of the recording medium. Moreover, even when a part of identification information on the optical disk cannot be detected due to a defect or the like, the position of the beam spot can be identified based on beam spot position information obtained from the wobbling so that a reliability with which information is recorded on the optical disk and/or reproduced from the optical disk can be improved greatly. If the above-mentioned advantage is used, even though recording media are not inspected when they are shipped, a reliability with which information is recorded on the optical disk and/or reproduced from the optical disk can be maintained so that a cost of the recording medium can be reduced considerably. Moreover, since the recording medium is very resistant to smudges, and need not be protected by some suitable means such as a case. Thus, it becomes possible to provide an inexpensive recording medium.
(19) The above-mentioned identification information was formed by prepits comprising optical concave or convex portions.
Thus, optical disks can be mass-produced with ease by a replica method, and it becomes possible to provide stable and highly-reliable identification information which can be prevented from being deteriorated.
(20) The recording medium includes information recording areas provided along the central line of the groove structure and the central line of the land structure.
Thus, according to the above-mentioned information recording areas, it becomes possible to dispose recorded information with a high density, i.e. it is possible to realize a medium of a high density (large capacity).
(21) Light is irradiated on the recording medium, a wobble signal is detected by detecting reflected light of the irradiated light by a photo detector, and a recording or reproducing timing signal is obtained by using the wobble signal.
Thus, since position information is reliably obtained even from the recording portions by the wobbling of the groove portions and the land portions which are served as the recording portions, recorded information can be accessed highly reliably, and recorded information can be positioned on the recording medium with a high accuracy, i.e. information can be recorded and/or reproduced on and/or from the recording medium highly reliably, and an accuracy with which information is recorded on the recording medium can be raised.
(22) Light is irradiated on the recording medium, and the wobble signal is detected by detecting reflected light of the irradiated light with a photo detector. By using the wobble signal, it is possible to obtain a starting or ending timing at which at least any of recorded information and identification information is recorded on and/or reproduced from the recording medium.
Thus, since timing information can be obtained highly reliably even when a timing at which the recording unit and the identification signal are generated is fluctuated because a revolution rate of the optical disk, for example, is not stable due to the wobbling of the groove portions and the land portions which are served as the recording portions, the recorded information on the optical disk can be accessed highly reliably. As a consequence, a speed at which recorded information is accessed can be raised, and it becomes possible to use an inexpensive motor so that an information recording and/or reproducing apparatus can be produced inexpensively.
(23) At least one identification information is detected by irradiating the recording medium with light. When at least one succeeding identification information which succeeds the identification information is detected, the recording area that should be identified by the succeeding identification information is recorded on or reproduced from the recording medium by using either an identification information detecting signal indicating that the succeeding identification information is detected or a pseudo-succeeding identification information detecting signal which is generated from a recording or reproducing timing signal obtained from the above-mentioned wobbling of the groove portions and the land portions.
Thus, even when the succeeding identification information cannot be detected due to some causes such as defects or smudges, the recording area that should be identified by the succeeding identification information can be accessed by using the signal obtained from the wobbling so that a reliability with which information is recorded on the recording medium and/or reproduced from the recording medium can be increased greatly.
(24) There is provided a method of recording and/or reproducing information in which information is recorded on and/or reproduced from a recording medium by using a timing signal obtained from the wobbling instead of identification information if the identification information cannot be detected when the identification information is detected by irradiating light on the recording medium.
Thus, even when the succeeding identification information cannot be detected due to some causes such as defects or smudges, the recording area can be accessed highly reliably by using the wobble signal, and hence a reliability with which information is recorded on and/or reproduced from the recording medium can be improved greatly. Therefore, since the reliability in recording and/or reproducing information on and/or from the recording medium can be maintained high without inspecting the recording medium when the recording medium is shipped, it becomes possible to reduce the cost of the recording medium considerably. Furthermore, since the recording medium becomes very resistant to the smudges, the recording medium need not be protected by some suitable means such as a case. Therefore, it becomes possible to provide a more inexpensive recording medium.
(25) Light is irradiated on the recording medium, and a wobble signal is detected by detecting reflected light of the irradiated light with a photo detector. When a recording or reproducing timing signal is generated from the wobble signal, at least the portion in which the above-mentioned identification information is provided can be interpolated by a signal synchronized with a series of immediately-preceding wobble signals.
Thus, the recording and/or reproducing timing signal obtained from the wobble signal is prevented from being deteriorated due to the identification signal of the identification information portion, and hence the position information from the wobble information can be highly reliably obtained even at the position located immediately after the identification information. Specifically, since the area located immediately after the identification information that cannot be detected can be accessed highly reliably, it is possible to maintain a reliability with which information can be recorded on and/or reproduced from the recording medium. Therefore, it becomes possible to carry out a real time recording and/or reproduction and a highly-reliable recording without the dropout of the information at all.


Provided are a channel coordination method and apparatus. The method may be used by a first access point (AP) that is currently serving a terminal. In response to determining that a channel needs to be configured for a real-time service initiated by the terminal, the first AP detects a second AP that requires channel coordination. The first AP sends channel coordination request signalling to the second AP, wherein the channel coordination request signalling comprises a designated channel that the first AP requests to coordinate. In response to receiving first channel coordination feedback signalling, which is used for indicating to agree to coordinate the designated channel, sent from the second AP, the first AP determines, according to the first channel coordination feedback signalling, that the second AP agrees to coordinate the designated channel.

With continuous development of communication technologies, intelligent terminals have also been widely used. In the new generation communication system, real-time services of the terminal will develop faster and will be more diverse, and raise higher requirements for the stability of the 802.11 wireless network. However, the existing 802.11 wireless network has much interference, and there is still no better technical solution to reduce the interference of the 802.11 wireless network.

Channel coordination method and apparatus

Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.


A method for specifying a fatty acid at the sn2 position of acylglycerol lipids including (a) transfecting a vector including the SLC1 gene or a variant thereof into embryonic biological material, and (b) allowing the SLC1 gene to specify the type of fatty acid at the sn2 position of acylglycerol lipids. Also provided for is an isolated SLC1 gene and a probe for its detection.

All membranes of living cells contain glycerophospholipids which have fatty acid attached to the 1 and 2 carbons of the 3-carbon glycerol molecule. The fatty acids at these two positions have different numbers of carbon atoms and degrees of unsaturation (a double bond between the two carbon atoms). The length of the fatty acid and degree of saturation have important dietary consequences for man. For example, diets rich in saturated fatty acids are associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease whereas monounsaturated fatty acids are associated with decreased risk. Plant seed also consist largely of triacylglycerol-glycerol having three fatty acids.
The type of fatty acids present in glycerolipids is determined by enzymes called fatty acyltransferases. The present inventors isolate the first eucaryotic gene, SLC1 that encodes a transferase specific for the 2 position of glycerolipids from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
Determining the biological function(s) and mode of action of individual sphingolipids in multicellular eucaryotes has proven to be a challenging and unfinished task because of the great variety of sphingolipids present in such organisms (1-3, see reference citations below). In contrast to this variety, the unicellular eucaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae has only one major and two minor types of structurally related sphingolipids. Such simplicity provides a unique opportunity to study sphingolipid function(s) in an organism to which molecular genetic techniques can be readily applied.
The most abundant sphingolipid in S. cerevisiae is mannosyldiinositolphosphorylceramide with lesser amounts of inositolphosphorylceramide and mannosylinositolphosphorylceramide (4,5). The ceramide moiety contains the sphingoid long chain base phytosphingosine linked by an amide bond to a C.sub.26 fatty acid (4).
Synthesis of phytosphingosine initiates with the condensation of serine and palmitoyl-CoA catalyzed by serine palmitoyltransferase to yield 3-ketodihydrosphingosine (6). In S. cerevisiae the enzyme or one of its subunits is encoded by the LCB1 gene (7). Strains defective in lcb1 lack serine palmitoyltransferase activity and have an Lcb.sup.- phenotype because they require a long chain base such as phytosphingosine for growth (8-10). The Lcb.sup.- phenotype provides a starting point for a molecular genetic analysis of sphingolipid function(s). Saccharomyces cerevisiae normally requires sphingolipid biosynthesis for growth.
Some glycerolipids of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,419 is entitled Genetically Engineered Plasmid and Organisms for the production of Specialized Oils. This patent discloses an expression vector encoding a yeast delta-9 fatty acid desaturase enzyme which functions in a yeast cell to induce or enhance oil production. The overproduction of delta-9 desaturase by the cells leads to the production of abnormally high levels of unsaturated fatty acids in the cell membrane. In order to compensate for the increased levels of unsaturated fatty acids in the lipids, excess unsaturated fatty acids are removed from the membrane lipids and shunted into triglyceride formation. The yeast are indicated to overproduce oils containing polyunsaturated fatty acid with superior properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,619 to Moore discloses a process for industrial enzymatic interesterification of a triglyceride including steps of reacting a triglyceride in an enzyme conversion zone. The enzymes which are used are preferably 1,3 specific lipases.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,633 to Brown et al. discloses an enzymatic transesterification method for preparing a margarine oil. The margarine oil product has a non-random fatty acid distribution in which esterified stearic acid is predominantly distributed in the 1,3-positions while esterified unsaturated fatty acid moieties are in higher concentration in the 2- position of the glycerides. The method of making the margarine oil includes a step of providing a transesterification reaction mixture comprising stearic acid and triglyceride vegetable oil and transesterifying using a 1,3 lipase. Enzymes from synthetic sources are contemplated, including yeasts.
Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 92, Abstract 17761w, (1980) "Characterization of sterol ester synthetase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae" discloses that cell free extracts of Saccharomyces cerevisiae catalyzed the synthesis of fatty acid ester of sterol from cholesterol, fatty acid, ATP, and CoA or from cholesterol and fatty acyl CoA. The enzyme involved in the formation of the ester is acyl-CoA-sterol-O-acyltransferase.
Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 91, Abstract 188621j, (1979) "Utilization of endogenous diacyl glycerol for the synthesis of triacylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidyl ethanolamine by lipid particles from baker's yeast" discloses a measurement of the activity of 3 enzymes prepared from S. cerevisiae in the presence of 1,2-diacylglycerol substrates. The enzymes include diacylglycerol acyltransferase, choline phosphotransferase, and ethanolamine phosphotransferase.
Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 88, Abstract 165910b, (1978), "Glycerolipid biosynthesis in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae" discloses an investigation of S. cerevisiae dihydroxyacetone phosphate acyltransferase to determine whether its activity and that of glycerol phosphate acyltransferase represent dual catalytic functions of a single membranous enzyme.
Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 87, Abstract 129342p, (1977), "Acyltransferase systems involved in phospholipid metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae" discloses membrane preparations of S. cerevisiae catalyzed the acylation of glycerophosphate, 1 acyl- and 2 acyl-glycerophosphates and 1 acyl- and 2 acyl-glycerylphosphocholines. Specificity of glycerophosphate acyltransferase, 2-acylglycerophosphate acyltransferase and 1-acylglycerophosphate acyltransferase were determined.
Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 105, Abstract 94333x, (1986), "Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective in sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase: Simultaneous loss of dihydroxy acetone phosphate acyltransferase indicates a common gene" discloses the isolation of fourteen independent mutants defective in sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase activity.
Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 115, Abstract 274626k, (1991), "Acyl CoA-cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) inhibitors from microbial and plant lipids" discloses that enzyme ACAT, responsible for absorption of cholesterol by the intestinal epithelium is inhibited by fatty acid-like substances obtained from enzymatic degradation products of microbial and plant products.
Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 114, Abstract 38917q, (1991), is directed to "Genetic and biochemical studies of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae". Chemical Abstracts, Vol. 117, Abstract 167433q, (1992), "The acyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate pathway enzymes for glycerolipid biosynthesis are present in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae" discloses studies of the acyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate pathway enzymes for glycerolipid biosynthesis. This pathway is used in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae non-ether glycerolipid synthesis.
There is a need in the art for a knowledge of the SLC1 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its use to construct economically and dietetically important plants, such as seeds, from which cooking oils are obtained which have fatty acids with optimal benefits, as well as better storage properties. Likewise, there is a need to produce animals whose meat products would contain glycerolipids with fatty acids having different degrees of saturation and/or chain length. Such changes improve the flavor and storage properties and reduce adverse effects on humans, for example, by reducing the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The present invention provides these benefits and overcomes the deficiencies and lack of knowledge of the prior art.

Technique for specifying the fatty acid at the sn2 position of acylglycerol lipids

University of Kentucky Research Foundation


The invention relates to a hazardous voltage interlock loop, HVIL, system (10), comprising a first HVIL circuit (12) being associated with a first high voltage bus (52) and a second HVIL circuit (14) being associated with a second high voltage bus (54), wherein the first and second high voltage buses (52, 54) are separated and not electrically connected to each other. The system further comprises a galvanically isolated relay (16) connected to the first and second HVIL circuits, wherein the galvanically isolated relay is configured to open the first HVIL circuit when no electrical current is flowing in at least a portion of the second HVIL circuit comprising the galvanically isolated relay. The present invention also relates to a vehicle comprising such a system. The present invention also relates to a method of operating a hazardous voltage interlock loop system.

A hazardous voltage interlock loop is normally implemented to make sure all high voltage and current sources of a system are shut off in the event of an intrusion or a failure is detected somewhere in the system, for example opening a lid or unplugging a connector.
US2014/0062180, for example, discloses a high-voltage ("HV") system for a vehicle, which system includes a HV source providing HV power, a low-voltage source, a high-voltage interlock loop ("HVIL") switch, and at least one control module. The low voltage source provides a low-voltage power that is less than the HV power. The HVIL switch is in communication with the low-voltage source. The HVIL switch includes a reed relay and a magnetic element. US2014/0062180 further discloses an HVIL circuit that connects a plurality of HVIL switches to one another, where HVIL switch #1 corresponds to an HV power supply, HVIL switch #2 corresponds to a power inverter, and HVIL switch #3 corresponds to an AC motor.
Furthermore, US2011/0062798 discloses a vehicle including a high-voltage electrical system with a high-voltage electrical power source, a plurality of high voltage loads, and a plurality of functional high-voltage interlock (HVIL) circuits. Each of the high voltage loads is disposed within an enclosure, and each of the functional high-voltage interlock circuits is associated with one of the enclosures.
However, standards and/or legislation may cause systems like those disclosed in US2014/0062180 and US2011/0062798 to be inadequate for certain applications.


A solid electrolytic capacitor having a capacitor element which includes an anode foil and a cathode foil rolled with a separator interposed therebetween, and a solid electrolyte layer or an electrically conductive polymer layer provided therein. The anode foil is coated with a dielectric oxide film. The dielectric oxide film is an oxide film formed by oxidizing a film of a mono-metal nitride or a composite metal nitride formed on the anode foil. The mono-metal nitride is titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, tantalum nitride or niobium nitride. The composite metal nitride is aluminum titanium nitride, chromium titanium nitride, zirconium titanium nitride or titanium carbonitride.

FIG. 2 is a sectional front view of a prior art solid electrolytic capacitor 1, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art capacitor element 2 (see, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. HEI4-19695 (1992)).
The solid electrolytic capacitor 1 includes an aluminum case 3 having a top opening, the capacitor element 2 contained in the case 3, and a rubber packing 30 which seals the opening of the case 3. An upper edge portion of the case 3 is curved to fix the packing 30, and a plastic seat plate 31 is attached to the top of the case 3. Lead wires 21, 21 extend from the capacitor element 2 through the packing 30 and the seat plate 31, and then bent laterally.
As shown in FIG. 1, the capacitor element 2 includes an anode foil 4 of an aluminum foil coated with a dielectric oxide film and a cathode foil 5 of an aluminum foil, which are rolled together into a roll with a separator 6 of an insulative material such as paper interposed therebetween and fixed by a tape 26. The roll is impregnated with a solid electrolyte such as a TCNQ (7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) complex salt, or includes an electrically conductive polymer layer provided therein. Lead tabs 25, 25 respectively extend from the anode foil 4 and the cathode foil 5, and the lead wires 21, 21 respectively extend from the lead tabs 25, 25.
Where the electrically conductive polymer layer is to be formed between the foils 4 and 5, the capacitor element 2 is impregnated with a mixture solution containing ethyl alcohol as a diluent, 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene and iron(III) p-toluenesulfonate, followed by thermal polymerization.
Although the solid electrolytic capacitor 1 having such a construction is widely used, there is a market demand for a capacitor having a smaller size and a greater capacitance. To this end, a capacitor has been proposed whose cathode foil 5 is coated with a metal nitride film (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-114108).
In general, the dielectric oxide film is not intentionally formed on the cathode foil 5, but formed by natural oxidation. Therefore, the capacitance C of the capacitor is equivalent to a capacitance obtained by connecting the capacitance Ca of the anode foil 4 and the capacitance Cc of the cathode foil 5 in series, and represented by the following equation:C=Ca×Cc/(Ca+Cc)=Ca×1/(Ca/Cc+1)
That is, if the cathode foil 5 has the capacitance Cc, the capacitance C of the capacitor is smaller than the capacitance Ca of the anode foil 4. Therefore, a film of a metal nitride such as TiN is formed on the cathode foil 5 by sputtering or vapor deposition, and electrically connected to an aluminum base of the cathode foil 5. Thus, the capacitance of the capacitor can be increased without size increase of the capacitor because the cathode foil 5 has no capacitance. However, the inventor has found that the cathode foil 5 having such a structure is less effective for increasing the capacitance of the solid electrolytic capacitor 1.
Further, it has been proposed that the capacitance Ca of the anode foil 4 is increased by increasing the dielectric constant of the anode foil 4 (see, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI5-121275 (1993)). For preparation of the anode foil 4 having an increased dielectric constant, a surface of a titanium anode base is oxidized in a solution containing an electrolyte thereby to be formed with a dielectric film of titanium oxide. Titanium oxide has a relative dielectric constant of about 100 (no unit), which is higher than that of aluminum oxide. Since the capacitance is proportional to the relative dielectric constant, the capacitance of the anode foil can be increased.
However, the dielectric film formed by the direct oxidization of the surface of the titanium base is liable to be aged over time. That is, it is difficult to form a stable titanium oxide film on the surface of the titanium anode base. Further, a voltage of 10V to 20V at the lowest is required to be applied for the formation of the titanium oxide film on the surface of the titanium base as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. HEI5-121275. A voltage permitted to be applied is about triple the rated voltage of the solid electrolytic capacitor 1 to be produced. The inventor has experimentally confirmed that, if the anode is to be coated with titanium oxide, the solid electrolytic capacitor 1 should have a rated voltage of not lower than 6.3V and, therefore, it is impossible to form a titanium oxide film on an anode of a solid electrolytic capacitor having a lower rated voltage on the order of 2V to 3V.


A braking assembly for an in-line roller skate is disclosed. The braking assembly comprises a foot operatable actuation means and at least one rod having a non-circular cross-section and essentially extending in parallel to the moving direction of the in-line roller skate. Upon operating of said foot operatable actuation means, the rod is turned about its longitudinal axis and thereby applying an axial braking force to the sidewall of at least one of the rollers.

In recent years in-line roller skates have achieved great popularity. Such in-line roller skates are characterized by a plurality of rollers mounted at the bottom of a shoe or a boot where the rollers are situated in alignment with each other along the moving direction of the skate. Thus, the rollers appear to simulate the blade of an ice skate.
A problem common to all types of roller skates is the difficulty in slowing down. Thus, various braking systems have been proposed for roller skates but none are entirely satisfactory.
A conventional braking assembly for in-line roller skates includes a brake block arranged at the end of a lever and facing the surface of the street. The lever is connected to the backside of the shoe. The brake block can be brought into contact with the surface of the street by an actuation means or by the user lifting the foreportion of the shoe and thereby lowering the backside of the shoe. This braking assembly requires high skating skills and is not usable in skating backwardly. Additionally, it causes high-wear of the braking block.
Another braking assembly for in-line roller skates is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,930. The braking assembly comprises a brake pad which can be brought into engagement with the sidewalls of the rollers in order to apply an axial braking force to the rollers. The braking assembly can also be used in skating backwardly, but the used mechanism is very complex and must be operated by hand.
Thus, what is needed but seemingly unavailable in the art is a braking assembly for an in-line roller skate constructed and arranged for providing a secure, easy, foot operated braking action which does not require high skating skills.

Braking assembly for an in-line roller skate


A single drum skimmer and a weir skimmer for recovering all types of oil from a surface of a body of water. An aluminum, high density polyethylene lined drum, floated by adjustable pontoons is rotated clockwise by a hydraulic drive motor, thus drawing the oil layer on top of the water, under and up over the drum to a high density polyethylene scraper blade where it is scraped off into a collection box. The oil runs to the corners of a collection box where it is suctioned off through suction hoses to a camlock "tee" fitting. The oil travels through a main suction hose to a peristaltic master pump which provides suction and discharge of oil from the skimmer to a vacuum dehydrator. An open topped, adjustable reservoir/weir collector has an opening in the front panel which may be opened for weir skimming, and closed for drum skimming.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to devices for skimming oil from the surface of water.
More particularly, this invention relates to a single drum skimmer and a weir skimmer for recovering all types of oil from a surface of a body of water, such as oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers and the like, and in particular to an oil retriever that is maneuverable independently on water and can operate efficiently to assist in cleaning up oil spills or other bodies of water containing oil in suspension.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Environment awareness is becoming increasingly more prevalent in response to preservation of the global ecology. The advent of offshore drilling platforms and the use of supertankers to transport crude oil and the like has greatly increased the likelihood and magnitude of catastrophic damage to the oceans lakes, rivers, and ponds by contamination due to spillage on these bodies of water. The damage and destruction from these pollutants can wreak havoc to the ecology that can potentially take decades to recover.
Current methods of cleaning polluted waters have been unsatisfactory, particularly when the conditions have been less than ideal. Speed in cleaning spills is critical due to the rapid spreading of the floating surface material by the currents and wind. Delays may occur in cleaning isolated sites due to problems in transporting the equipment to the site. The turbulence of the oceans or other bodies of water often prevents the equipment from being used.
The apparatus currently used are simple mechanisms such as handheld devices or throwing rags or straw on the surface to absorb the material which are ineffective in cleaning large areas or else complex devices which are expensive to manufacture and to maintain. The complexes devices normally are not effective in completely removing pollutants from the surfaces, particularly when there is a wide depth of the pollutants, turbulence of the surfaces and difficulties in the site conditions.
Other methods utilizing chemicals or burning of the floating material are dangerous to the environment and are simply not feasible for large areas that may need to be cleaned. There presently exists a need for a system to quickly recover floating material such as pollutants or debris from the surfaces of bodies of water without regard to the demands of the particular site conditions.
There are a variety of skimming devices in the prior art. One such skimmer is a weir skimmer, which typically comprises a barrier wall of adjustable height which allows oil floating on water to flow over the wall and into a collection trough while excluding water. Recovered oil is then continuously pumped from the collection trough to a storage or transport means. Weir skimmers operate well in calm water with large or contained spills which produce a relatively thick oil layer.
Disc skimmers ordinarily include a plurality of discs spaced apart coaxially along a rotating shaft which is supported by floats to position the lower portion of the discs in the water. Oil contacts and adheres to the rotating discs is removed by blades or wipers which direct the collected oil into a sump or other collection means.
A mop skimmer, or rope skimmer, is arranged to contact the oil film with an absorbent or filamentous member to which the oil clings. The oil-heavy member is then passed between rollers which squeeze out and collect the oil.
Drum skimmers have also been used for removal of oil and other hydrocarbons from water surfaces. A drum skimmer consists of one or more large rollers, or drums, which rotate partly submerged in water. Oil attaches to the drum surface as the drum rotates through the oil-water interface. The attached oil is then removed by squeezing or scraping the oil from the drum surface.
One example of such a device is shown in the Wilson et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,636 which discloses a dual drum skimmer arranged along a common axis which pick up oil and deposit it in a collection trough. Two relatively large diameter drums are mounted on a frame and arranged to rotate about a common axis. A collection trough, which forms the front of the frame, receives oil scraped from the rotating drums. Collected oil is passed to a reservoir trough, which forms the back of the frame, through channels between the two drums and the drum ends. The reservoir trough and the drums are sized to provide all of the buoyancy necessary to float the device.
U.S Pat. No. 3,612,277 to Van Stavern discloses a rotatable drum type of oil skimmer which is continually rotated to pick up a film of oil and water on the surface of the drum, having a supplemental or transfer drum located substantially above the oil slick and well out of contact with the oil slick, picking up the oil from the first drum and depositing it in a trough.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,043,064 to Abell et al discloses a pair of hulls interconnected by a deck structure. A perforated drum has a covering which is comprised of an oleophilic material. The covering in an alternative embodiment has bristles or brushes. A doctor blade contacts the covering of the drum to remove oil or debris from the drum for deposit into a sump.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,363 to Pole discloses an oil retriever with interchangeable collection tanks. Across the front of pontoons, a cylindrically shaped drum is rotated about its longitudinal axis by a reversible, variable speed motor. There are two scrapers extending along the entire rearward side of the drum. U.S Pat. No. 4,978,448 to Terekomos discloses a system using an elongated scoop, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,630 to Eklund discloses a system using brush discs and a comb member for separating oil from the brush discs.
None of the above prior art devices are as easily transportable, rugged in construction, nor as effective in cleaning up large areas as the instant invention or else are complex devices which are more expensive to manufacture and to maintain.


When an excitation signal is generated from an exciter due to an activation signal generated from a radar control device and is distributed to supply to each antenna sub-module, a combination reception signal is transmitted to a receiver from each antenna sub-module. The receiver takes in the combination reception signal obtained by each sub-module in response to an instruction from the radar control device, a frequency converter converts the combination reception signal into a prescribed frequency band, and a distributed aperture combination circuit performs a beam combination in accordance with a distributed aperture combination algorithm. In this way, a radar apparatus, which is equivalent to an active phased array radar of a large aperture and with high performance, is achieved.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radar apparatus using an active-type antenna device which is mounted on a mobile object such as an airplane and is formed by using an airplane shape to a maximum extent, and relates to a method for forming a reception beam of the radar apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, in an antenna device of a radar mounted on an airplane, with the enhancement of requirements for higher performance of the radar, requirements for active phased arraying having high function and high performance have become increased. However, in comparison with a conventional passive antenna, the active phased arraying of the antenna device necessitates an increase in device size such as dimensions and mass as a circuit configuration has become complicated.
Meanwhile, to enhance the performance of the radar, it is needed to enlarge an antenna aperture area. However, there is a limit for use in airplane to enlarge an aperture of a relatively large-sized active phased array antenna.
In such a situation, for improving the performance of the radar apparatus for mounting until now, for example, a method for adopting a passive-type antenna of a large aperture and a method for protruding a radome toward the lower part of an airplane body to accommodate the antenna in the radome have been introduced.
However, since the passive-type antenna of the large aperture may not perform high-rate beam scanning, the performance in a scanning rate has no advantage over the active-type antenna. Meanwhile, the method for protruding the radome toward the lower part of the airplane body to accommodate the antenna in the radome poses a limit for enlarging the aperture of the antenna due to restriction on mounting, and it is necessary to repair the airplane body on a large scale, so that the problem of expenses is produced.
In the active-type antenna, as regards the radar apparatus using an adaptive array antenna is concretely disclosed, for example, in Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2007-003325.
As mentioned above, in the conventional radar apparatus, in a case in which there is a limitation in an installation place because the radar apparatus is mounted on a mobile object, since it is hard to enhance the performance and enlarge the aperture of the antenna device, it is also hard to actualize the improvement of the performance of the radar.

Radar apparatus and method for forming reception beam of the same


A method for sharing streaming media between a plurality of media providing devices and a media requesting device includes the media requesting device sending a request message to each of the media providing devices. Each of the media providing devices generates and displays a verification image. The media requesting device captures the verification image of one of the media providing devices and extracts a verification code from the captured verification image. The verification code is sent to each of the media providing devices for verification. When the verification code passes a verification of a corresponding media providing device, a media sharing connection between the media requesting device and the corresponding media providing device is established.

1. Technical Field
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to media sharing technologies used in home media networks, and particularly to an apparatus and method for sharing streaming media.
2. Description of Related Art
Media sharing technologies are widely used in home media networks. When a user wants to share streaming media among different devices, the user needs to manually establish a media sharing connection between the different devices. However, when the user wants to establish the media sharing connection, the user needs to know information (e.g., device name or device ID) of each of the devices, which is inconvenient. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.

Apparatus and method for sharing streaming media


Users of mobile devices communicate through a mobile gateway to a transaction processing system. The transaction processing system manages accounts, such as debit card accounts, for the users. The accounts include a main account for each user and sub accounts that are linked or related to the main account. Funds may be transferred between a main account and its linked sub accounts, including automatic funds transfer when a transaction (e.g., a payroll deposit from an employer or a debit transaction at a specified retailer) is made against the main account and meets certain parameters established by a user. Access to linked sub accounts is made through use of internal account IDs, rather than the account number of the main account.

The use of mobile devices to conduct financial transactions is becoming increasingly common. Consumers are able to cash checks, view account balances, transfer funds and pay bills. The ease of conducting real-time transactions at mobile devices can have unintended consequences. For example, a consumer may conduct a transaction or transfer funds based on currently viewed balances, without appreciating that other transactions (such as automatic payments from an account) will be posted later in the day and may impact balances available for consumer initiated transactions. At the same time, for many consumers, the ability to automatically transfer unneeded funds from a primary account into a secondary account (such as a "rainy day" fund or account) in response to deposits or other transactions at the primary account, offer an attractive and easy way to save money There has thus arisen the need to keep the user interface at a mobile device simple, yet also limit the possible downsides of a consumer conducting too many or ill-timed transactions, especially from a primary account where money is being separately transferred (e.g., periodically) to a secondary account used for savings. There has further arisen the need to "protect" the funds in the secondary account by making them less visible to the consumer who might otherwise prematurely access and deplete the saved funds before they serve their intended purpose.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Message handling at a mobile gateway for managing data structures and sub-structures


A hole saw includes a circular saw blade and a cover plate. The circular saw blade is made by rounding a lengthwise rectangular metal sheet and connecting two ends thereof to define therein an accommodating space. The circular saw blade has one edge provided with a plurality of sawteeth and an opposite edge provided with a connecting portion. The cover plate covers the connecting portion of the circular saw blade and has a base, a positioning portion and a shoulder. The positioning portion extends from the base toward the connecting portion. The shoulder is formed between the base and the positioning portion. Thereby, the hole saw has advantages about low manufacturing costs and short production cycle. Besides, since the shoulder increases contacting area between the circular saw blade and the cover plate, the structural firmness of the soldered hole saw is improved.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to hand tools for cutting, and more particularly to a hole saw having the advantages about low manufacturing costs, short production cycle, and firm structure.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional hole saw set 1, which comprises a rotary machine (not shown), a hole saw 2, a drill 3, and a connector 4 connecting the three above together, so that the hole saw and the drill can be driven by the rotary machine to perform rotation. In use, the drill is first placed on the center of the site to be drilled on a workpiece, and the rotary machine is activated to rotate the drill and the hole saw, making the drill bore and get positioned on the workpiece. Afterward, the when the hole saw comes to abutting against the workpiece, the hole cutting operation is started.
Therein, the hole saw comprises a cover plate 5 and a circular saw blade 6. The cover plate has its outer periphery aligned and soldered with the outer periphery of the circular saw blade using a solder 7 by means of soldering. For making the solder joint neat and for preventing the solder from contacting the hole, the solder joint is preferably ground to level. However, after the foregoing grinding operation, there is merely a little solder residual between the soldered cover plate and circular saw blade in addition to the thin layer of solder left on the outer periphery of the soldered assembly. When the hole saw set 1 is later put into use, the counterforce applied to the circular saw blade by the workpiece being cutting may be large enough to overcome the limited binding force between the cover plate and the circular saw blade, making the circular saw blade coming off the cover plate. As a result, the workpiece may be damaged and even the operator can be injured. Hence, there is a need to improve the combination between the cover plate and the circular saw blade.
In view of this, the present invention is made to improve the conventional hole saw.


Techniques are disclosed for facilitating pulse detection and synchronized pulse imaging systems and methods. In one example, a system includes a light pulse detection device and an imaging device. The light pulse detection device is configured to detect a first light pulse. The light pulse detection device is further configured to determine that the first light pulse is associated with a pulse sequence. The light pulse detection device is further configured to determine timing information associated with a second light pulse of the pulse sequence. The light pulse detection device is further configured to generate data associated with the timing information. The imaging device is configured to determine an integration period based on the data. The imaging device is further configured to capture, using the integration period, an image that includes the second light pulse. Related devices and methods are also provided.

Light signals and detection thereof may be utilized in various applications, such as in surveillance applications. As an example, a light source may be utilized to emit a light signal. Dependent on application, a location of the light source and/or a location of an object that reflects the light signal may be determined based on detection of the light signal by an appropriate detector.

Pulse detection and synchronized pulse imaging systems and methods


An endoprosthesis, a method for imaging an endoprosthesis, a method of making an endoprosthesis involve a polymeric substrate that has been modified to have voids embedded within the substrate. The voids are sized to scatter optical radiation from within the substrate so that an optical coherence tomography (OCT) image can be obtained in which an interior region of the substrate can be easily differentiated from empty space and other structures that surround the endoprosthesis. The voids allow for OCT visualization of the polymeric substrate which may be difficult to visualize by other methods such as fluoroscopy.

Endoluminal prostheses or endoprostheses are medical devices adapted to be implanted in a human or veterinary patient. Stents are a type of endoprosthesis which are deployed in blood vessel, urinary tract, bile duct, or other bodily lumen to provide structural support and optionally to deliver a drug or other therapeutic agent. Stents are generally cylindrical and function to hold open and sometimes expand a segment of the bodily lumen. Stents are often used in the treatment of atherosclerotic stenosis in blood vessels. Stents are often delivered to a desired location while in a reduced configuration having a smaller diameter than when fully deployed. The reduced configuration allows the stent to be navigated through very small passageways, such as coronary vessels and other bodily lumen. A crimping process is performed to place the stent in a reduced configuration. The stent can be crimped onto a catheter that can then be maneuvered over a guidewire that leads to a region of the anatomy at which it is desired to deploy the stent. The passageway through which the stent is maneuvered is often tortuous, so the stent should be capable of longitudinal flexibility. Once the stent has reached the desired deployment location, the stent is allowed to self-expand or is forcibly expanded by a balloon to an enlarged configuration. After deployment, the stent should maintain its enlarged configuration with minimal recoil back to its reduced configuration. All these functional requirements are taken into account in the structural design of a stent.
In addition to the foregoing functional requirements, it is also important for a stent to have the capability of being visualized to determine whether the stent has been properly maneuvered to the desired location and to confirm that the stent has properly deployed. Various imaging techniques, such as fluoroscopy and optical coherence tomography, may be used to obtain an image of the stent. Fluoroscopy uses X-rays while optical coherence tomography uses optical radiation.
Compared to metal stents, stents that have a polymeric substrate can be difficult to image due to their radiotranslucent and optically translucent properties. Structural features adjacent to the stent, such as parts of the anatomy and the catheter which carries the stent, can obscure the stent and make it difficult to ascertain its position. Radiopaque markers, such as metallic beads or metallic bands, can be embedded within or attached to the polymeric substrate so that the stent can be easily visualized using fluoroscopy. Radiopaque markers are relatively large in relation to the size of the stent substrate and can thereby affect stent function. Thus, stents often have only a few radiopaque markers which are strategically positioned.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has been used to obtain images that show individual stent struts. OCT typically employs near-infrared light which can penetrate through structures, such as biological tissue, which scatter the light. Interferometric analysis of the scattered light is used to generate images which can have a resolution in the order micrometers. International Application Publication No. WO 2010045386 A describes the use of OCT to obtain images in which reflective surfaces of metal stent struts can be identified. However, stent struts having a polymeric substrate are not as reflective as metal substrates.
OCT has been used to visualize stent struts made of a polymeric substrate. See Gutierrez-Chico et al., "Spatial Distribution and Temporal Evolution of Scattering Centers by Optical Coherence Tomography in the Poly(L-Lactide) Backbone of a Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold" Circulation Journal, Vol. 76, 343-350 (February 2012). Gutierrez-Chico et al. describe the appearance of "scattering centers" or SC, which is defined as a "focal hyperintense backscattering signal" in the core of the stent strut. All the scattering centers were located exclusively at hinges. In a bench study, there was a complete absence of scattering centers in all regions of stents which were not subjected to crimping. After crimping and deployment, however, there were scattering centers in all hinge regions. Analysis of successive image slices through the hinges of an implanted stent showed that the scattering centers were located at the inner curvature of the hinge. Scattering centers were absent from image slices taken through the outer curvature of the hinge. As compared to the inner curvature of the hinge, parts of the stent which experienced little or no mechanical deformation during crimping and deployment appeared as "black boxes" within a dark field. The black boxes could be identified by a faint outline corresponding to the external surfaces of the stent structure.
There is a need for an imaging method, stent manufacturing method, and stent which allow for improved OCT imaging that can make it easier to determine where the stent structure begins or ends within a bodily lumen and make it easier to evaluate whether the stent has been properly deployed and is supporting surrounding tissue.

High visibility endoprosthesis and method


A retrofit system for dedicated an Edison-type socket to receive only energy efficient lighting components. The retrofit system includes a power unit, an energy efficient lamp and an adapter. The adapter is arranged to be readily installed in the socket, but once installed it is not removable. The adapter is arranged for the removable mounting of the power unit and the power unit is arranged for the removable mounting of the energy efficient lamp. The retrofit system permits the exchange or replacement of either or both of the power unit and energy efficient lamp as required but does not permit conversion back to the inefficient incandescent lighting.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the conversion of high energy consuming incandescent lighting to energy efficient lighting and particularly to a conversion system that is non-reversible.
2. Background of the Invention
Incandescent lamps, commonly referred to as light bulbs, have widespread usage in providing illumination. The lamps are produced with a standardized threaded base that will fit into a standard Edison-type threaded socket. The lamps are installed by merely screwing the base of the lamp into the socket. Replacing a lamp or interchanging the lamp with another of a different wattage rating is thus a simple task. The lamp is simply screwed out of the socket and the replacement lamp is screwed into the socket. The lamps come in a variety of wattage ratings and are interchangeable in the standard socket. The socket is not limited with respect to the wattage rating of the lamp to be utilized so a 15 watt lamp for example may be exchanged for a 100 watt lamp. The selection of the lamp size is generally left up to the consumer, although many light fixtures using the standard sockets have a recommended maximum wattage rating.
The incandescent lamp, although it is still widely used and accepted as an illuminating unit, has several drawbacks. The lamps are not energy efficient, they generate unwanted heat during use and generally have a relatively short life.
Energy efficient lighting systems, such as fluorescent, is widely used to provide lighting in office buildings, factories and the like. The fixtures for the fluorescent lighting are most often arranged to accept long fluorescent tubes such as tubes of four foot or eight foot lengths although other lengths and configurations are available. The fluorescent lighting fixtures are arranged to receive fluorescent tubes only and are not configured to accept the interchange of other lighting units such as incandescent lamps.
The recognition of the benefits of low energy consumption, longer life and less heat generated by the fluorescent lighting has led to the development of compact energy efficient lamp units that are directly interchangeable with the incandescent lamps. To change over, the incandescent lamp is simply removed from the conventional lamp receiving socket and the energy efficient lamp unit is installed in the socket. Changeover is that easy and simple. The problem is it is also just as easy to change back to the old inefficient lighting provided by the incandescent lamps.
The initial cost of the energy efficient lighting unit is more than that of the incandescent lamp it is to replace. The higher initial cost coupled with the ability of converting back to usage of the incandescent lamp has deterred the conversion to energy efficient lighting. There therefore has been a reluctance on the part of manufacturers, power companies and others to promote the retrofit of incandescent lighting systems to the energy efficient lighting systems that are currently available on the market. Some power companies will not offer incentives, such as rebates, for the purchase of energy efficient lighting since the user may readily convert back to the old high energy consuming incandescent lamp. Currently there is no assurance that a user will continue usage of the energy efficient lighting system. Should a failure occur with an energy efficient light system, such as failure of a ballast or fluorescent tube, the energy efficient light system may be merely removed from the socket and replaced with a low cost incandescent lamp. Thus, when the energy efficient lamp or the lamp and ballast fail, a user may readily convert back to the high energy consuming incandescent lamp. This is to be avoided. The user, although benefitting in the short term by purchasing the low cost replacement incandescent lamp will lose in the long term by the increased power usage and the necessity to purchase multiple incandescent lamps since they have a shorter life.
There currently is not a way to retrofit and dedicate the conventional socket to the energy efficient lamps to insure continued usage of the energy efficient lamps. A system is required that will dedicate an incandescent lamp receiving socket to receive only energy efficient lighting systems and prevent the switch over to the old incandescent lighting system.

Retrofit system for energy efficient lighting


The object of the present invention is to provide a non-woven fabric comprising a glass fiber which has a strength, flexibility and water resistance, has less skin irritancy and a good surface decoration property, and a process for producing the same, more specifically, to provide a non-woven fabric for a gypsum board which is used as a reinforcing material for a gypsum board placed on one side or both sides of the gypsum board, and a process for producing the same. A non-woven fabric for a gypsum board comprising 20 to 60% by weight of a glass fiber, 10 to 50% by weight of an organic fiber and 10 to 50% by weight of a fibrous binder, which contains the organic fiber at least on a gypsum core contact surface, is provided.

As a building material excellent in fire-safety, fire-resistance, sound insulation property, heat insulation property, constructability, strength, workability, decoration property and degradation-inhibiting property, a gypsum board has been widely used. In the gypsum board, a reinforcing material for the gypsum board is provided on one side or both sides of a core material mainly comprising gypsum, and the reinforcing material compensates for the weakness of the gypsum. A paper substrate has been generally used as the reinforcing material, and with the objective of further improving the above-mentioned properties, a non-woven fabric mainly comprising a glass fiber has been used (Patent literatures 1 and 2).
For a non-woven fabric used on both sides of a gypsum board as a reinforcing material, a certain extent of flexibility is required. If the flexibility of the non-woven fabric is poor, a crack may arise in the non-woven fabric during the manufacture of a gypsum board, and in some very extreme case, the non-woven fabric may be broken. The crack of the non-woven fabric leads to exudation of a gypsum slurry during the manufacture and to contamination around equipment such as a conveyer which transports the non-woven fabric, which causes problems of not only lowering the productivity but also reducing the strength of the gypsum board.
A non-woven fabric containing a glass fiber is excellent in strength and dimensional stability, and it has been conventionally used for the base material of a wallpaper or a floor material as a building material in addition to a gypsum board. However, when the content of the glass fiber is increased in order to improve strength and dimensional stability, the amount of the glass fiber to be exposed on the surface is increased, and the worker may feel irritation on his/her skin when handling it, which may become a problem.
On the other hand, for a building board material used for an interior material or an exterior material, including a gypsum board, it is an important requirement to have properties such as being lightweight, being a high strength, being smooth in surface and easy to be decorated with such as painting and wallpaper-pasting. A material the strength property of which is improved by reinforcement with a fiber, such as a fiber reinforcing-gypsum board which heretofore has been known, is a material in which a gypsum board is reinforced by a fibrous material. Thus, the strength property and workability are excellent; however, the material has a configuration in which a base material is exposed to the surface thereof, so that pretreatment such as sealer treatment is required to apply a surface decoration such as painting finish and wallpaper finish. Accordingly, a labor charge is generated on the painting work and this becomes a factor causing an increase in cost for the entire finish work. Moreover, a volatile component which affects the human body is contained in the sealer and the component diffuses during the painting work, so that the use thereof is tend to be limited. Also, for an interior material in which the decoration workability has a priority, a gypsum board coated with a paper board to which painting and wallpaper pasting are easily applied (a base paper for a gypsum board) has been widely used. However, the base paper for a gypsum board has a poor water resistance. When the base paper absorbs moisture, there are problems that peeling occurs between the layers of the base paper, etc.
[Patent literature 1] Japanese examined patent publication No. Hei 7-914
[Patent literature 2] Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2002-285677

Non-woven fabric for gypsum board and process for producing the same


An economical process for applying nitride layers to titanium and titanium alloys. Within a short time, layer thicknesses of 20 .mu.m are obtained by pressure-nitriding in an ammonia atmosphere. To this end, temperatures of 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C. and pressures of 0.2 to 9 MPa are used.

The present invention relates to a process for applying nitride layers to parts composed of titanium and titanium alloys by thermochemical treatment of the parts with ammonia or ammonia-containing gas mixtures under pressures higher than atmospheric pressure and at temperatures above 500.degree. C.
Titanium has some advantages over steel as a construction material, namely its low specific weight, its corrosion-resistance, and its high strength. On the other hand, its hardness is relatively low, which necessitates a surface treatment to increase wear-resistance. This surface treatment generally involves generating layers of titanium carbide or titanium nitride. Processes known hitherto for nitriding parts composed of titanium and titanium alloys involve the use of high-energy gases or electromagnetic fields. These processes are very expensive and are only applicable with parts having a simple geometry.
For example, in German Patent 17 96 212 (which is entirely incorporated herein by reference), the surface hardening of titanium by the formation of nitride layers in an ammonia atmosphere at relatively high temperatures and normal pressure is mentioned. Although the process described in this patent is intended to produce relatively thick, hard layers, this process has no practical application, since the high temperature induces detrimental structural modifications of the core of the component. The component becomes brittle.
Brunner, European Patent Application No. 0,105,835 (which is entirely incorporated herein by reference) describes a process for manufacturing nitride layers on components composed of titanium and titanium alloys by exposing the components in an autoclave to pressures of at least 10 MPa and temperatures of at least 200.degree. C. in an ammonia atmosphere. The actual examples in Brunner use pressures much higher than 10 MPa. For the process of Brunner, the ammonia must be very pure. Preferably, the nitriding takes place at 90 to 130 MPa and temperatures of 930.degree. C. to 1000.degree. C., as shown in Brunner's examples. This process has the disadvantage that it is very expensive due to the use of autoclaves and because very pure ammonia must be used. Furthermore, layers 20 .mu.m thick can be obtained only in treatment periods of three or more hours. Additionally, because of these high pressures, an autoclave is used by Brunner. Because of limitations on the size of autoclaves, large parts and large batches of parts cannot be treated. This makes the process of Brunner economically unfeasible.

Process for applying nitride layers to titanium