A probe configured as a finger tip of a glove used to recognize tissue types in a human patient and adapted to perform both optical and electrical measurements to diagnose tissue type while scanned over the surface of the tissue. Hybrid electronic technology reduces the size of the diagnostic elements. The necessary electrical connections are led down the finger and the glove to a remotely positioned control unit. The control unit provides power to the diagnostic device and analyzes the signals received from the device.

This invention relates to probes used to recognize tissue types in a human patient. The invention further relates to probes that perform both optical and electrical measurements to diagnose tissue type while scanned over the surface of the tissue.
It is known to mount devices on the tips of the fingers of gloves for medical examination purposes. For example, it has been proposed to mount a small TV camera and light source on a glove to enable an area to be examined that is remotely sited in a patient. Such an apparatus would function in the manner of an endoscope. Provision has also been made for tissue samples to be taken from out-of-the-way places on the body using cutting devices on the tips of fingers.
The present invention makes possible tissue diagnoses at remote locations on a patient by the performance of combined electrical and optical tests. It is of particular value in locations such as the cervix which are readily accessed by hand. It also has application in surgical procedures where abnormal tissue such as burned or cancerous tissue must be removed. It is often important to remove all of the abnormal tissue while removing a minimal quantity of healthy tissue. This invention is well suited to distinguishing between tissue types and therefore satisfying this need.
The medical profession often needs to have an objective assessment of the health of the tissue on a patient. The patient may have suffered tissue damage as a result of accidental or deliberate trauma as for example during a surgical operation. The patient may also be suffering some other more persistent irritation as a result, for example, of being confined to bed which can lead to bed sores. It is valuable for a medical practitioner to be able to tell in advance the type of treatment that would benefit the patient.
It is well known, for example, that early detection of tissues displaying pre-cancer or cancer modifications is important for successful medical treatment. We have already disclosed an apparatus and method for carrying out this detection. The invention described in this application represents a significant improvement on the apparatus disclosed in patent application Ser. No. 08/332,830, assigned to the same assignee as the current invention.
This new form of probe allows the doctor to perform an examination without the need to view the area under examination. Tactile feedback is employed to locate the area of interest after which the tip of the probe is passed over the area to be diagnosed.
The invention employs hybrid electronic technology to reduce the size of the diagnostic device enabling it to be mounted on the finger tip of a surgical glove. The necessary electrical connections are led down the finger and the glove to a remotely positioned control unit. The control unit provides power to the diagnostic device and analyzes the signals received from the device. Hybrid probe technology is described in our copending application filed this same date entitled xe2x80x9cHybrid Probe For Tissue Type Recognitionxe2x80x9d.
To take advantage of the operator""s ability to feel the area to be examined the diagnostic capsule is small compared with the area of the operator""s finger tip. In this invention this is achieved by employing hybrid technology enabling an exceptionally high density of components. The attachments to the control unit are similarly kept small and lightweight to avoid distorting the feel of the tissue under examination. The connections are provided by means of thin wires having sufficient flexibility to enable the operator to trace the area under examination without restrictions. These wires and fibers are molded into the gloves to conform to the operator""s hand.
An important application for this invention is in cervix examination. It is known that the use of a speculum during traditional examinations of the cervix is a major source of discomfort for patients leading to avoidance of the procedure. This invention avoids such discomfort so that many more women are willing to have the procedure performed at regular intervals.
An object of the present invention is to enable both electrical and optical measurements to be performed on the same area of tissue in a probe located at the tips of the fingers of a glove.

Glove-mounted hybrid probe for tissue type recognition


In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a multi-stage process for upgrading pyrolysis oil comprising polyaromatic compounds to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) includes upgrading the pyrolysis oil in a slurry-phase reactor zone to produce intermediate products, wherein the slurry-phase reactor zone comprises a mixed metal oxide catalyst; and hydrocracking the intermediate products in a fixed-bed reactor zone to produce the BTEX, wherein the fixed-bed reactor zone comprises a mesoporous zeolite-supported metal catalyst.

Pyrolysis oil or pyrolysis fuel oil is a heavy stream that exits a typical crude oil hydrotreating process as a bottom fraction from the steam cracker. This heavy stream is low in sulfur content but rich in aromatic content. Although these properties may make pyrolysis oil a desirable feedstock for subsequent chemical conversions, traditional upgrading processes for pyrolysis oil are complex and inefficient.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Two stage catalytic process for pyrolysis oil upgrading to btex


Ion sensor having an ion-selective electrode and a reference electrode, both being unified, without internal liquid solution. The ion-selective electrode part has a solid solution of halogenide of conducting ions of solid electrolyte and halogenide of metal for an internal electrode, e.g., NaCl-AgCl solid solution. The reference electrode part has a solid solution of halogenide of the group Ia or IIa, e.g., Na, K, and a halogenide of metal for an internal electrode, e.g., NaCl-AgCl solid solution. The electrode parts are supported by an insulating substrate. A solid electrolyte such as NASICON or ionophore such as valinomycin is used as an ion-sensitive membrane.

An ionic electrode method, which makes use of an ion-selective electrode, has been known for detecting ions in a sample solution. By the ion-selective electrode herein is meant such electrode which detect the potential difference corresponding to the activities of anions and cations contained in the solution that is the thermodynamically compensated concentrations of the anions and cations, and which is provided with a membrane of an ion-sensitive material selectively sensitive to certain predetermined ion species.
However, with the ionic electrode method, it is necessary to use an ion-selective electrode and a reference electrode separately. Also, in many cases, an internal liquid solution is employed for each of the electrodes. As a result, the electrodes tend to be increased in size and, in addition, the sample being measured needs to be used in a larger quantity. If the internal liquid solution is not used and a lead wire is directly attached to the ion-sensitive membrane to take out the electrical potential, the response time tends to be prolonged or fluctuated and hence a stable measurement cannot be achieved. If the internal liquid solution is used, attention must be directed to the state of replenishment or maintenance of the internal liquid solution.


A transfer device includes a transfer member and a bias applicator. The transfer member contacts a surface, on which a toner image is borne, of an image bearing body, to form a transfer nip. The bias applicator applies a DC voltage and an AC voltage as transfer bias to transfer the toner image on the image bearing body to a recording sheet in the transfer nip. The bias applicator applies a DC voltage having a same polarity as the DC voltage of the transfer bias and an AC voltage having an amplitude smaller than the AC voltage of the transfer bias or applies the DC voltage having the same polarity as the DC voltage of the transfer bias without applying an AC voltage, when an inter-sheet area that exists on the image bearing body passes through the transfer nip during a continuous image formation period.

1. Technical Field
Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure relate to a transfer device that transfers a toner image on a surface of an image bearing body to a recording material which is nipped in a transfer nip by contact between the image bearing body and a nip formation member, and an image forming apparatus incorporating the transfer device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses are used as, for example, copiers, printers, facsimile machines, and multi-functional devices having at least one of the foregoing capabilities. As one type of image forming apparatus, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses are known. Such an electrophotographic image forming apparatus may have a transfer device that transfers a toner image on the surface of an image bearing body to a recording material which is nipped in a transfer nip by contact between the image bearing body and a nip formation member.
For example, an image forming apparatus forms a toner image on the surface of a drum-like photoreceptor by a well-known electrophotographic process. An endless intermediate transfer belt that is provided in a transfer device and serves as an image bearing body is brought into contact with the photoreceptor, thereby forming a primary transfer nip. Then, in the primary transfer nip, the toner image on the photoreceptor is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt.
A secondary transfer roller that is provided in the transfer device and serves as a transfer member is brought into contact with the intermediate transfer belt, thereby forming a secondary transfer nip. A secondary transfer opposed roller is disposed inside a loop of the intermediate transfer belt, and the intermediate transfer belt is nipped between this secondary transfer opposed roller and the secondary transfer roller.
While the secondary transfer roller outside the loop is connected to a ground, a power supply applies a secondary transfer bias to the secondary transfer roller inside the loop. Consequently, a secondary transfer electric field that allows the electrostatic movement of the toner image from the secondary transfer opposed roller side to the secondary transfer roller side is formed between the secondary transfer opposed roller and the secondary transfer roller.
Then, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt is secondarily transferred to a recording sheet that is fed to the secondary transfer nip at the timing of synchronization with the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt, by the action of the secondary transfer electric field.
In such a configuration, when a sheet that is rich in surface irregularity, such as Japanese paper is used as a recording sheet, a gradation pattern copying the surface irregularity is easily generated in an image. Sufficient toner is not transferred to concave portions on the surface of the sheet, and the image density of the concave portions is thinner than that of convex portions, thereby causing this gradation pattern.
In the image forming apparatus, a DC power supply and an AC power supply are connected to each other, and the secondary transfer bias including a DC voltage and an AC voltage is applied. For the image forming apparatus, toner reciprocates between the surface concave portions of the recording material and the image bearing body by using such a secondary transfer bias, so that the toner can come into contact with the surface concave portions of the recording material. Consequently, it is possible to suppress the transfer failure of the toner to the surface concave portions of the recording material.
Additionally, it is known that the generation of the gradation pattern can be suppressed by the application of such a secondary transfer bias, compared to a case where a secondary transfer bias configured from only a DC voltage is applied.
As a result of study by the inventors of the present application, the inventors has found that a problem arises that the deterioration of a transfer member or the like, which is not generated by the secondary transfer bias that is configured from only a DC voltage and does not include an AC voltage, is generated, and the life of the member is shortened, in the case where a transfer bias that includes a DC voltage and an AC voltage is used as the secondary transfer bias.

Transfer device and image forming apparatus incorporating same


An example method of setting a plurality of valves into a predetermined configuration for use in a wellbore servicing operation includes presenting a schematic display of the plurality of valves with a visual indication of the current state of each valve. The method also includes displaying a list of predefined valve configurations. The method further includes overlaying on the schematic display a predefined valve configuration selected from the list and visually indicating on the overlay the state of each valve if the predefined valve configuration is implemented.

High pressure pumps are used in many phases of the wellbore servicing operations. Such operations commonly involve the interconnection of various equipment such as pumps, blenders, solid material sources, water sources, chemical sources and the wellhead via one or more pipe manifolds. Each manifold typically may have a plurality of valves of varying types, such as proportional valves as well as on/off valves. Each operation may have a plurality of manifolds with multiple pumps supplying material such as solids and liquids, from multiple sources. Thus, any given operation may have dozens of valves associated with the operation.
Traditionally, an operator is charged with ascertaining the state of each valve and operating the equipment so as not to over pressurize any given component of the system. For example, it is undesirable to initiate pumping into a discharge manifold that does not have an open fluid flow path. This can result in a "deadhead" situation that could damage the manifold, valves or other equipment by over-pressuring. Likewise, a deadhead situation could occur when a system is pumping and one or more valves are operated (opened or closed) in a manner that would create an overpressured state. In either case, where a deadhead or over-pressuring situation occurs, the equipment involved must be taken off-line, inspected and if necessary, repaired, all of which can result in drilling and production delays, as applicable.
Even in systems where the large number of valves are controlled electronically, an operator is still charged with ascertaining the state of each valve and for timing actuation of each valve to accomplish a particular task, such as cementing, pumping or hydraulic fracturing. In many cases, given the large number of valves, the state of any one valve, the actuation of any one valve or the responsiveness of any one valve may be overlooked or simply not identified at all. In this same vein, typically, a particular operation dictates a particular valve configuration for the operation. This large number of valves must be set to the correct position by the operators.
Commonly, each valve is individually set by the operator at the onset of an operation to coincide with the desired configuration for the particular operation. As the number of valves increases, the chances of improperly setting one or more valves in the desired configuration increases.

Setting valve configurations in a manifold system


A programmable logic device (PLD) includes a signal distribution network, separate from the high-quality, low-skew clock distribution networks of the PLD, for distributing, from peripheral input/output regions of the PLD, clock-type signals. The signal distribution network includes a central periphery clock bus, located near a group of peripheral input/output regions, for conducting clock-type signals from those regions onto a clock spine of the PLD. The clock spine may be dedicated to the signal distribution network, or may be part of a high-quality, low-skew clock distribution network covering all or part of the PLD. The signal distribution network allows greater skew than such high-quality, low-skew clock distribution networks, but nevertheless is of higher quality, and allows less skew, than the general programmable interconnect and routing resources.

This invention relates to the distribution of large numbers of clocks or other signals on a programmable logic device. In particular, this invention relates to the distribution of clocks or other signals with acceptable skew without unduly increasing the number of low-skew clock trees.
In the early days of programmable logic devices, global clock signals or other global signals could be distributed using the general global routing resources of the device. Device sizes were small enough that skew was not a particular concern. However, as programmable logic devices became larger, skew became a concern. One solution to the problem of global clock skew or other global signal skew was the development of a clock tree network commonly referred to as an "H-tree," which allowed a clock signal or other global signal to be introduced at a single point on a device and be delivered to all points on the device with minimal skew.
However, as programmable logic device sizes have continued to increase, the amount of metallization resources required to provide H-tree clock networks has increased dramatically. At the same time, the number of clocks and other signals to be distributed widely across a device also has increased dramatically. For example, PLDs frequently incorporate high-speed serial interfaces to accommodate high-speed signalling standards. Clocks derived from such interfaces using clock-data recovery (CDR) or dynamic phase alignment (DPA) techniques may have to be distributed throughout a PLD to wherever the associated data is being used or processed.
It would be desirable to be able to efficiently distribute clocks and other signals in a programmable logic device.

Periphery clock distribution network for a programmable logic device


A fuel cell stack assembly includes a fuel cell stack wherein a plurality of fuel cell cassettes is coupled together by a joining material. A spring strap is coupled to the fuel cell stack in a manner effective to apply a first compressive force to the fuel cell stack. A first load distribution plate is located intermediate the fuel cell stack and the spring strap. The first load distribution plate is configured to distribute the first compressive force over the fuel cell stack in a manner effective to normalize the first compressive force on the joining material. A diaphragm is configured to define a cavity and is configured to apply a second compressive force to the fuel cell stack dependent on a cavity pressure of oxidant within the cavity. The cavity pressure is dependent upon an oxidant pressure of oxidant provided to the fuel cell stack.

Fuel cells are used to produce electricity when supplied with fuels containing hydrogen and an oxidant such as air. A typical fuel cell includes an ion conductive electrolyte layer sandwiched between an anode layer and a cathode layer. There are several different types of fuel cells known in the art; amongst these are solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells, and molten carbonate fuel cells. Fuel cells are regarded as highly efficient electrical power generators that produce high power density with fuel flexibility.
In a typical fuel cell, air is passed over the surface of the cathode layer and a fuel containing hydrogen is passed over the surface of the anode layer opposite that of the cathode layer. Oxygen ions from the air migrate from the cathode layer through the dense electrolyte to the anode layer in which it reacts with the hydrogen and CO in the fuel, forming water and CO2 and thereby creating an electrical potential between the anode layer and the cathode layer of about 1 volt. The fuel cells are typically stacked in series to provide higher voltages.
Each individual fuel cell may be mounted within a metal frame, referred to in the art as a retainer, to form a cell retainer frame assembly. The individual cell retainer frame assembly may then be joined to a metal separator plate, also known in the art as an interconnector plate, to form a fuel cell cassette. The cassettes may be stacked in series with a seal disposed between the sealing surfaces of each cassette to form a fuel cell stack.
Seals for fuel cell stacks require special properties such as a coefficient of thermal expansion comparable to those of the components of the SOFC stacks, a suitable viscosity to fill any gaps in the sealing surfaces of the cassettes, ability to maintain a hermetic seal at operating temperatures of 700° C. to 800° C., good chemical stability, and long term sustainability.
It is known that glass seals can provide sturdy bonded sealing joints between the fuel cell cassettes. However, when the fuel cell stack is cooled to room temperature (about 23° C.) from its typical operating temperature (about 700° C. to 800° C. for SOFC), residual stresses induced by a temperature gradient and/or a mismatch in the thermal coefficient of expansion (TCE) of different materials within the fuel cell cassettes may cause tensile stresses within the glass seals that may exceed the tensile strength of the joint, causing failure of the seals. Tensile stresses may also be formed by internal gas pressures within the fuel cell stack.
Since the glass seals are much stronger in compression than in tension, it has been determined that it is desirable to maintain a compressive force on the fuel cell stack (and thus on the glass seals) at all times, i.e. during operating and non-operating conditions. This may be accomplished with an end plate held in place with bolts that are torqued to provide a compressive force. However, due to the potentially large difference between the fuel cell stack operating temperature and room temperature, even a relatively small difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the bolts and the fuel cell stack may result in either an excessively high compressive force or no compressive force at all.
Previous approaches for providing compressive forces to fuel cell stacks using high temperature spring assemblies have been disclosed (U.S. Pat. No. 7,001,705 and US Pat Pub 2010/0233566). High temperature spring assemblies have proven to be an effective solution in fuel cell stacks with a smaller footprint (approximately 100 cm2 active area); however they may become impractical for fuel cell stacks with a larger footprint (approximately 400 cm2 active area). The spring assemblies need to exert considerably higher compressive forces to overcome tensile forces created by pressures within the large footprint fuel cell stacks during operation. The high temperature alloy components required may become prohibitively expensive. In addition, it may be much more difficult to apply the compressive force uniformly over the larger planer area which leads to increased complexity further increasing the cost of this type of loading mechanism.
Another approach using a bladder for providing compressive forces to a fuel cell stack has been disclosed (U.S. Pat. No. 6,258,475) which includes a fluid-filled pressurized bladder and a spring assembly. The spring assembly applies a first compressive force to a first load distribution plate while the bladder applies a second compressive force to a second load distribution plate. The flexible bladder and the fluid within the bladder must be configured to withstand the high temperatures generated by the fuel cell stack. These high temperature materials are generally quite expensive. In addition, a mechanism must be provided to pressurize the fluid within the bladder and to regulate the pressure within the bladder which leads to increased complexity further increasing the cost of this type of loading mechanism. Therefore, a simpler, lower cost device to apply a compressive force to a fuel cell stack is desired.

Fuel cell stack assembly with pressure balanced load mechanism


A water jet device and a water dance speaker comprising the water jet device are disclosed. The water jet device comprises a base container, a drive unit and fans driven by the drive unit, the drive unit being mounted externally to a bottom of the base container, while the fans internally to the bottom of the base container. A cover plate, disposed on the base container to engage therewith, comprises via holes thereon and coordinates with the base container to form a chamber to contain liquids. On the side of the cover plate away from the base container are formed protrusions vertical to the cover plate, a first via hole penetrating each of the protrusions. The present invention provides a water jet device capable of recycling water resources and preventing water leak. Therefore, the water jet device as disclosed is safe in use and possesses practical applicability.

A fountain speaker creates water dance effect varied with the melody of music or with the rhythm of an external sound. A user can enjoy at the same time the water dance and the varying colorful lights. However, the conventional fountain speakers suffer from many drawbacks, such as water leak that burns a circuit or undesirable water jet effect.

Water jet device and water dance speaker

ATAKE DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) CO., LTD.


A method for cashless and tokenless access to casino machines is provided including the steps of providing a biometric registration apparatus connected to a computer having an input for a user to input a biometric sample and a payment input. The player registers including the steps of inputting a biometric sample into the biometric input and inputting money. The money is input into a unique player's account in the central computer associated with the biometric sample of the player. The player is identified at a gaming machine by the entering of a biometric sample and comparing it to the unique biometric data stored in the central computer. The player is then authorized to play and his account is credited or debited based on the player's wins and losses. The player is then paid any money remaining in his account after the player no longer desires to play by entering a biometric sample to access his account.

This invention relates generally to casino gaming and, more particularly, to an improved system for operating cashless and tokenless gaming apparatus using an account accessed solely by a biometric sample.
Various means to use biometric samples are known, including use of fingerprints, hand prints, voice prints, retinal images, handwritten samples, and the like. Presently, most biometric data are stored on a token in electronic form, such as on a smart card or the like. Thus, the biometric data for a particular individual can be fraudulently copied and reproduced, for example, if a card is lost or stolen.
A tokenless biometric ATM access system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,764,789 wherein a customer registers with a computer system. Here, the customer registers a personal identification number (PIN), one or more biometric samples, and one or more financial accounts. The customer initiates account access at an ATM or other financial device by entering the customer's personal authentication information which includes a PIN and a biometric sample. The personal authentication information is compared with the registration biometric sample to produce a successful or failed identification of the customer. If there is a successful identification of the customer, the customer is allowed to access the account.
This system positively identifies a person's identity to that person's specific account or accounts. In any typical bank or other financial account where a user has access to ATM machines, essential to the transaction is the relating of numerous details concerning the particular person to a particular account where that person is known to the bank or financial institution by address, social security number, birth date, and the like. The present system is not necessarily concerned with a person's details of his identity, such as social security number and the like. The present system is concerned with relay a only a particular biometric sample to a financial account. The person need not be identified further. Thus, effectively, the account is held in the level of the biometric sample, rather than in the name of the person. This allows for a certain level of anonymity that numerous gaming patrons deem to be of great importance. Thus, this system may be more similar to a system that uses currency. Of course, on the other hand, if deriserd, the present system allows a gaming organization to keep detailed records of the details of specific gaming patrons and groups of gaming patrons. Obviously, if desired, an alternate embodiment of the present system would give the gaming organization the ability to tie a particular biometric sample to a particular gaming patron and track that patron's activity within the system.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,039 (Hoffman et al.) discloses a tokenless biometric electronic rewards system where a recipient registers a biometric sample. The system authorizes reward transactions and the debiting and crediting of reward units from a reward recipient's electronic account, either at the retail point of sale or over the internet. The rewards recipient is not required to directly use any man-made personalized token in order to effect the transaction.


A lighting system for a vending machine is provided. The lighting system includes an LED light source extending along a first inner surface of the vending machine and a reflective surface extending along a second inner surface of the vending machine. The reflective surface is capable of reflecting light emitted by the light source in one direction in order to provide light to the interior of the vending machine from multiple directions.

The use of vending machines for providing various products, such as soft drinks or snacks, is well known. Typical vending machines provide lighting within the vending machine to illuminate the products that are available for purchase. Many of these machines employ fluorescent lighting for this purpose. Recently, some vending machines have used light emitting diodes (LEDs) instead of fluorescent or other conventional types of lighting in order to take advantage of the benefits of LEDs, which include reduced energy consumption, decreased heat production and increased lifetime. However, these vending machines have not been designed to maximize the effective lighting provided by the LEDs, resulting in vending machines that are not as efficient as possible.


A satellite communication system for airborne and reachback communications may include a formation orbiting in one or more slots of a geosynchronous orbit. The formation may include two or more communications satellites (COMSATs) encircling a ring. Each COMSAT of the two or more COMSATs may include a communication module configured to communicate with a plurality of communications assets in a benign or contested environment. The formation may be configured to allow a first communications asset having a dish antenna with a first configuration to communicate independently with each of the two or more COMSATs in a first scenario. The formation may also be configured to allow a second communications asset having a dish antenna with a second configuration to communicate simultaneously with the two or more COMSATs in a second scenario.

The threat of adaptive jammers affecting airborne intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (AISR) communications reachback creates challenges that conventional satellite communications systems may not be capable of managing. For example, conventional methods for protecting military satellite communications systems are limited to spreading friendly signals, increasing the dynamic range of receiver analog to digital converters (ADCs), and adaptive nulling on-board single satellite communications platforms.
Additionally, conventional satellite communications systems may not be capable of satisfying the demand for wideband (beyond the line of sight) and AISR communications reachback, because: a) frequency hopping spread spectrum systems utilize bandwidth to achieve spreading gain, which may result in lack of sufficient bandwidth for achieving wideband applications; b) dynamic ranges of current military satellite communications systems are insufficient to demodulate friendly data in a saturated environment from adaptive jammers; and c) single satellite communications hosted nullers eliminate friendly users in relatively close proximity to enemy jammers.
Improvements in satellite communications bandwidth in contested environment and the ability to collect low power friendly emitters among co-channel interferers are desired.

Geosynchronous triads communications system


An optical signal reception device is disclosed that receives and demodulates an optical signal modulated by DQPSK and performs logical inversion and other controls to transit to the object reception state. The signal reception device includes a front end including a delay interferometer and an opto-electric conversion element that receive the DQPSK optical signal and convert it into an in-phase signal and a quadrature-phase signal, a clock regenerator that regenerates a clock signal based on the in-phase signal and the quadrature-phase signal, a multiplexer that multiplexes the in-phase signal and the quadrature-phase signal, a reception frame processing unit that detects frame synchronization based on the signal multiplexed by the multiplexer and de-maps the received frames, and a controller that, based on out-of-frame-synchronization information (LOF/OOF) from the reception frame processing unit, performs logical inversion control in the clock regenerator, multiplexing timing control in the multiplexer, and controls the delay interferometer in the front end so as to transit to the object reception state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical signal reception device for receiving and demodulating optical signals modulated by a Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (DQPSK) modulation scheme or a Differential Phase Shift Keying (DPSK) modulation scheme in order to achieve high speed data transmission, and a method of controlling reception of optical signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
In digital communication systems, typically the Internet (IP: Internet Protocol), in order to meet rapidly increasing needs of digital communication, an optical communication scheme employing IM-DQPSK (Intensity Modulation Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) modulation scheme is being studied to improve utilization of frequencies.
For details of IM-DQPSK, reference can be made to P. S. Cho, V. S. Grigoryan, Y. A. Godin, A. Salamon, and Y. Achiam, "Transmission of 25 Gbps RZ-DQPSK signals with 25-GHz channel spacing over 1000 km of SMF-28 fiber", IEEE Photonic Technical Letter, Vol. 15, pp. 473-475, March 2003 (hereinafter, referred to as "reference 1"), and H. Kim, and R-J. Essiambre, "Transmission of 8×20 Gbps DQPSK signals with 25-GHz channel spacing over a 310-km SMF with 0.8-b/s/Hz spectral efficiency", IEEE Photonic Technical Letter, Vol. 15, pp. 769-771, May, 2003 (hereinafter, referred to as "reference 2").
FIG. 38 is a block diagram illustrating an optical transponder (an optical sender and an optical receiver) employing the above IM-DQPSK modulation scheme.
The optical transponder illustrated in FIG. 38 includes a framer LSI 100, an optical receiver (40 G OR) 101, a serializer (SER) 102, a de-multiplexer (DEMUX) 103, a DQPSK precoder 104, a DQPSK modulator (40 G OS DQPSK) 105, a DQPSK optical sender (40 G OS) 106, a de-serializer (DES) 107, a multiplexer (MUX) 108, and a DQPSK demodulator (40 G OR DQPSK) 109.
The DQPSK modulator 105, as schematically exemplified in an expanded portion thereabove in FIG. 38, includes a DFB-LD (Distributed Feedback Laser), a phase modulation section 112, an intensity modulator 113, and a driver. The phase modulation section 112 includes phase modulators 114, 115 and a π/2 phase shifter.
The DQPSK demodulator 109, as schematically exemplified in an expanded portion therebelow in FIG. 38, includes a π/4 delay interferometer 116, a −π/4 delay interferometer 117, photo-diodes (PDs) acting as opto-electric conversion elements, and amplifiers (amp). It should be noted that the configuration of the DQPSK demodulator 109 in FIG. 38 as described above illustrates a state in which the optical transmission direction is reversed.
In FIG. 38, it is illustrated that the transponder converts data signals transmitted at a bit rate of 40 Gbps into optical signals, modulates the optical signals by the DQPSK modulation scheme, and transmits the signals.
As illustrated in FIG. 38, the optical receiver 101 receives the optical signals transmitted at a bit rate of 40 Gbps from a client (user) side, converts the optical signals into electrical signals, and outputs 16 parallel signals each at a bit rate of 2.5 Gbps (=40 Gbps/16) to the framer LSI 100.
The framer LSI 100 transforms each of the 16 parallel signals from the optical receiver 101 into multiple frames, and performs mapping and de-mapping on each frame by means of, for example, SONET (Synchronous Optical Network), SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy), or OTN (Optical Transport Network). In this figure, it is assumed that the framer LSI 100 is the one for OTN.
After the frame processing, the framer LSI 100 outputs 16 parallel signals each at 2.7 Gbps.
A serializer 102 converts the 16 parallel signals at a bit rate of 2.7 Gbps from the framer LSI 100 into a serial data signal at 43 Gbps.
The de-multiplexer (DEMUX) 103 receives the serial data signal at 43 Gbps and a clock signal (CLK) at 21.5 GHz, de-multiplexes the signals from the serializer 102 at a de-multiplexing ratio of 1 to 2, and generates two parallel signals Ik and Qk each at 21.5 Gbps.
The signals Ik and Qk output from the de-multiplexer (DEMUX) 103 are input to the DQPSK precoder 104. The DQPSK precoder 104 converts the signals Ik and Qk into signals ρk and ηk, and inputs the obtained signals ρk and ηk to the DQPSK demodulator 105.
The DQPSK precoder 104 converts the input in-phase signals Ik and quadrature-phase signals Qk into signals ρk and ηk according to the following logical relations.
                              ρ          k                =                                            Q              k                                                  ρ                              k                -                1                                                                η                              k                -                1                                              +                                    I              k                                                  ρ                              k                -                1                                                                                η                                  k                  -                  1                                            _                                +                                                                      I                  k                                                                  ρ                                      k                    -                    1                                                                  η                            _                                      k              -              1                                +                                                    Q                k                                                          ρ                                  k                  -                  1                                                                          η                                  k                  -                  1                                                      _                                                            η          k                =                                            I              k                                                  ρ                              k                -                1                                                                η                              k                -                1                                              +                                                    Q                k                            _                                                  ρ                              k                -                1                                                                                η                                  k                  -                  1                                            _                                +                                    Q              k                                                                                ρ                                          k                      -                      1                                                                          η                                _                                            k                -                1                                              +                                                    I                k                                                          ρ                                  k                  -                  1                                                                          η                                  k                  -                  1                                                      _
FIG. 39 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of the DQPSK precoder 104.
As illustrated in FIG. 39, the DQPSK precoder 104 may be a logic gate circuit constructed by combining logical OR circuits, logical AND circuits, and inhibit circuits or other kinds of logic circuits. In FIG. 39, "D" indicates a one-bit delay circuit.
The signals ρk and ηk (at 21.5 Gbps) encoded by the DQPSK precoder 104 are input to the DQPSK modulator 105. The DQPSK modulator 105 converts the signals ρk and ηk into DQPSK optical signals and sends the optical signals to the network side.
The DQPSK modulator 105 splits a light beam emitted from the DFB-LD 111 into two beams, outputs one of the two split light beams into the phase modulator 114, and shifts the phase of the other split light beam by π/2 and outputs the phase-shifted light beam into the phase modulator 115. The phase modulators 114 and 115 perform phase modulation on the respective input light beams according to the respective signals ρk and ηk from the precoder 104 at 21.5 Gbps. The output light beams from the phase modulators 114 and 115 are combined and are input to the intensity modulator 113. The intensity modulator 113 performs intensity modulation on the input optical signals according to the clock signal (clock) at 21.5 GHz, and generates and transmits IM-DQPSK optical signals at 43 Gbps.
For example, each of the phase modulators 114 and 115, and the intensity modulator 113 of the DQPSK modulator 105 may be structured by a Mach-Zehnder interferometer formed by elements having the electro-optical effect, such as LiNbO3.
The DQPSK demodulator 109 receives the DQPSK optical signals from the network side, splits the optical signals into two portions, outputs one portion into the π/4 delay interferometer 116, delays the phase of the other portion by −π/4, and outputs the resulting optical signals into the −π/4 delay interferometer 117.
Each of the delay interferometers 116 and 117, for example, generates a path length difference between two path lengths each being constituted by a light guide, and generates a time delay τ corresponding to one symbol of the modulated optical signal.
The delay interferometer 116 has a π/4 phase shifter in an arm thereof for generating a π/4 phase shift, and the delay interferometer 117 has a −π/4 phase shifter in an arm thereof for generating a −π/4 phase shift.
Optical signals from arms of the delay interferometers 116 and 117 enter a pair of photo detectors (PD) as light receiving elements via couplers at the output stages of the delay interferometers 116 and 117, and after opto-electric conversion, an in-phase signal Ik is output from the side of the delay interferometer 116, and an quadrature-phase signal Qk is output from the side of the delay interferometer 117.
The multiplexer (MUX) 108 multiplexes the data signals Ik and Qk from the DQPSK optical demodulator 109 at 21.5 Gbps to convert the data signals Ik and Qk into a serial data signal at about 43 Gbps, and outputs the serial data signal at about 43 Gbps and the clock signal (clock) at 21.5 GHz to the de-serializer (DES) 107 in parallel.
The de-serializer 107 converts the serial data signal at about 43 Gbps into 16 parallel signals each at about 2.7 Gbps, and outputs the resulting signals into the framer LSI 100.
The framer LSI 100 de-maps the SONET, SDH or OTN frames, obtains 16 parallel signals each at about 2.5 Gbps, and outputs the 16 parallel signals to the optical sender 106.
The optical sender 106 converts the 16 parallel signals into a serial optical signal, and sends the optical signal at about 43 Gbps to the client side.
In addition, it is proposed to use Mach-Zehnder type delay interferometers in DMPSK (Differential Multiple Phase Shift Keying) optical signal modulation and demodulation unit with M=2n. For example, such an optical communication system is disclosed in International Application's Japanese Publication No. 2004-516743, in which the DMPSK modulation scheme becomes the same as the above DQPSK modulation scheme when n=2.
In addition, for example, an optical communication system is disclosed in International Application's Japanese Publication No. 2004-533163, in which a phase-modulated optical signal is intensity-modulated by a clock signal and is then transmitted; on a receiver end, the clock signal is recovered based on the intensity-modulated component.
FIG. 40 is a block diagram illustrating a principal portion of an optical signal receiver used in an optical communication system for transmitting the DQPSK optical signals.
Illustrated in FIG. 40 are a front end 121 (40 G DQPSK OR), a clock and data recovery (20 G CDR A) 123, a clock and data recovery (20 G CDR B) 124, a multiplexer (MUX) 126, a de-serializer (DES) 128, and a framer LSI 129 acting as a frame processing unit.
In FIG. 40, the direction of the signal flow is opposite to the path of signal reception processing in FIG. 38, but the functions of processing are the same.
Specifically, the front end 121 corresponds to the DQPSK demodulator 109 in FIG. 38.
The multiplexer 126 multiplexes the signals output from each of the clock and data recovery 123 and the clock and data recovery 124 at a multiplexing ratio of 2:1.
The de-serializer (DES) 128 converts the input signals into 16 parallel signals each at 2.7 Gbps.
The framer LSI 129 receives 16 parallel signals each at 2.7 Gbps, and has the same de-mapping functions as the framer 100 in FIG. 38.
The in-phase signal component Ik and the quadrature-phase signal component Qk are output from a port A and a port B of the front end 121. However, when DQPSK optical signals are transmitted through an optical transmission path, waveforms of the optical signals may be degraded because of influences of wavelength dispersion and the non-linear effect of the optical fiber in use. In addition, because the two interferometers of the front end 121 are independent from each other, if the optimum operating points of the two interferometers change with age or due to temperature changes, probably, the signal Ik and the signal Qk satisfying desired logical relations cannot be obtained.
FIG. 41 is a block diagram illustrating principal portions of an optical signal receiver side and an optical signal transmitter side of the optical transponder as shown in FIG. 38.
The structure shown in FIG. 41 includes a transmission processing unit 421 (indicated as "OTN LSI" in FIG. 41), an optical modulation processing unit 422 (indicated as "43 G NB Mod (Tx side)"), an optical signal reception processing unit 423 (indicated as "43 G NB Mod (Rx side)"), and a reception processing unit 424 (indicated as "OTN LSI").
In FIG. 41, an SFI-5 interface is a parallel signal interface for connecting the transmission processing unit 421 and the optical modulation processing unit 422, and for connecting the optical signal reception processing unit 423 and the reception processing unit 424; the SFI-5 interface is in compliance with a 40 Gbps Serdes Framer Interface standard established by OIF-SFI5-01.02 of OIF (Optical Interface Forum).
It should be noted that the parallel signal interface for connecting the transmission processing unit 421 and the optical modulation processing unit 422, and for connecting the optical signal reception processing unit 423 and the reception processing unit 424 is not limited to the SFI-5 interface, but can be other similar signal interfaces.
The transmission processing unit 421 includes a framer and others, and the optical modulation processing unit 422 includes a serializer (SER), a de-multiplexer (1:2 DEMUX), a driver which receives data ηk, and ρk for controlling a phase modulator, a DFB-LD (Distributed Feedback Semiconductor Laser), and an intensity modulator. RZ-DQPSK optical signals output from the intensity modulator are transmitted as data at time k, k+1, k+2, . . . along the time axis, and are indicated as {Ik, Qk}, {Ik+1, Qk+2}, . . . .
The optical signal reception processing unit 423 includes a π/4 delay interferometer, a −π/4 delay interferometer, photo-diodes (PDs) acting as opto-electric conversion elements, amplifiers (amp), a multiplexing processing unit CDR+2:1MUX for reproducing clocks and data and for multiplexing, and a de-serializer (DES), which corresponds to the structure in FIG. 38 including the π/4 delay interferometer 116, the −π/4 delay interferometer 117, the photo-diodes (PDs), the amplifiers (amp), the multiplexer (MUX) 108, and the de-serializer (DES) 107.
Each of the multiplexing processing unit CDR+2:1MUX and the de-serializer (DES) is an integrated circuit.
The reception processing unit 424 corresponds to the framer 100 and the DQPSK optical sender 106 in FIG. 38.
In the optical signal reception processing unit 423, signals Ak, Ak+1, . . . obtained by opto-electric conversion from the π/4 delay interferometer, and signals Bk, Bk+1, . . . obtained by opto-electric conversion from the −π/4 delay interferometer are multiplexed by the multiplexing processing unit CDR+2:1MUX, resulting in signals Ak, Bk, Ak+1, Bk+1, . . . , and the signals Ak, Bk, Ak+1, Bk+1, . . . are transmitted to the de-serializer (DES); the de-serializer (DES) converts the signals Ak, Bk, Ak+1, Bk+1, . . . into 16 parallel signals, and transmits the 16 parallel signals to the reception processing unit 424 including a framer via the SFI-5 interface. Depending on the timing of the serial-parallel conversion, the order of the 16 parallel signals may be determined according to a combination of a case 1 and a case 2 as shown in FIG. 41, or a combination of a case 3 and a case 4 as shown in FIG. 41.
FIG. 42A through FIG. 42C are tables illustrating reception states in portions (a), (b), and (c) in FIG. 41.
FIG. 42A illustrates reception states of the optical signal reception processing unit 423 with A channel (Ach) signals and B channel (Bch) signals under various conditions.
In the table in FIG. 42A, for example, a double circle indicates an object signal reception state, single circles indicate that either the A channel signal or the B channel signal or both of them are in a logical inversion state relative to the object signal reception state, triangles indicate a state generated by logical inversion and bit swap, a diamond indicates a state of bit swap, and crosses indicates states not allowing signal reception such as synchronization pull-in state.
FIG. 42B and FIG. 42C illustrate reception states of a 16-parallel signal interface between the de-serializer (DES) and the reception processing unit 424.
Depending on the opto-electric conversion, clock/data regeneration (clock and data recovery) and multiplexing, and the order of signals output from the de-serializer (DES), the reception state becomes one of case 1 through case 4, and the case 3 and case 4 correspond to one-bit shifted situation relative to the case 1 and case 2. For this reason, FIG. 42B represents reception states corresponding to the case 1 and case 2, and FIG. 42C represents reception states corresponding to the case 3 and case 4. In FIG. 42B and FIG. 42C, if double circles indicate object signal reception states, as in FIG. 42A, reception states represented by single circles, triangles, diamonds, and crosses occur.
As described above, in the object signal reception state, which is represented by the double circle, an optical signal reception process can be performed normally, and frame synchronization can be established. However, in states other than the object signal reception state, the frame pull-in process cannot be performed, and hence, a normal signal reception process cannot be performed.
In addition, even when functions of components of the device are specified in detail to designate the object signal reception state when initially starting the device, operation conditions of the components may change with age or with temperature changes, and in this case, one has to set the conditions of the components again.

Optical signal reception device and method of controlling optical signal reception


Water tap (2) or water valve assembly is provided which has biometric recognition means (20) provided on or associated with the same. The biometric recognition means (20) are arranged such that operation of the water tap (2) or water valve assembly and/or operation of one or more functions of the water tap (2) or water valve assembly takes place only upon recognition or a positive match of one or more biometric features of a user.

There is a known safety issue associated with any water tap or valve arrangement that allows hot or boiling water to be dispensed from the same due to the risk of a user accidentally burning themselves on the water being dispensed therefrom. In an attempt to overcome this problem, it is known to provide a safety button on the tap or valve arrangement that needs to be actuated in order for the thermostatic control of the tap or valve arrangement to be adjusted. One such example is a red button provided on a thermostatic shower mixer tap. The user has to knowingly actuate the button in order to allow hot water to be dispensed using the tap. This helps to remove the risk of a user accidentally increasing the temperature of the water. The safety button is particularly advantageous when a user is a child or an elderly person.

Water tap or valve assembly and method of use thereof


A mixer apparatus includes a container having a first shaft diametrically directed through the container, with the first shaft including first and second blades mounted to the shaft oriented parallel to the shaft, with third and fourth shafts mounted coaxially aligned relative to opposed ends of the first shaft, with the third and fourth shafts including respective right and left hand threads directed into the container to project fluid from the threads back into the container preventing such fluids from expressing exteriorly of the container during mixing.

1. Field of the Invention
The field of invention relates to mixing apparatus, and more particularly pertains to a new and improved mixer apparatus wherein the same includes a plurality of blades mounted to a central shaft, wherein the central shaft includes opposed thread portions to redirect fluid into the container from a mixing procedure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Mixing apparatus of various types have been utilized throughout the prior art and exemplified in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,074,125; 4,826,324; 3,880,407; 5,052,892; and 4,187,028.
The instant invention attempts to overcome deficiencies of the prior art by providing for thread structure to direct fluids onto the container during a mixing procedure preventing such fluids from expressing themselves exteriorly of the container and in this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.


A multidirectional switch, which performs a tilting operation in multiple directions generating a signal by tilting the shaft portion of the operating member, includes: a dome-shaped movable contact made of a resilient thin metal plate; a box-shaped case; a cover including a through hole at a center thereof, the cover covers an upper opening of the case; and a flange portion integrally formed at a lower end of the shaft portion of the operating member. The case includes, on a bottom surface thereof: an outer fixed contact on which an outer peripheral lower end portion of the dome-shaped movable contact is placed; and a plurality of inner fixed contacts provided inside positions corresponding to the outer peripheral lower end portion of the dome-shaped movable contact so as to be equiangular and equidistant from a center of the dome-shaped movable contact. In the operating member, the shaft portion extends upwards out of the through hole of the cover, an upper surface of the flange portion is in contact with an inner surface of the cover, a periphery of the operating member is fitted and supported by an inner wall of the case so that the operating member is not rotatable but is tiltable and movable vertically, first pressing portions are provided respectively at positions on a lower surface of the operating member corresponding to the plurality of inner fixed contacts, and the plurality of first pressing portions are in contact with the dome-shaped movable contact.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multidirectional operating switch which is driven by tilting or pushing an operating shaft and is used as an input operation section in mobile communication apparatuses such as a portable telephone, a pager, etc., or various electronic apparatuses such as a remote control apparatus, an audio apparatus, a TV game apparatus, a car navigation system, an electronic camera, etc., and also relates to a multidirectional operating apparatus using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional multidirectional operating switch will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of the conventional multidirectional operating switch; and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway exploded perspective view illustrating the same.
The illustrated multidirectional operating switch has a box-shaped case 1 made of a resin, with an opening thereof being covered by a cover 2 made of a metal plate, or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, central fixed contacts 3A and 3B (also indicated generically by reference numeral 3) and four peripheral fixed contacts 4 to 7 are fixed by the insert molding on the bottom surface of the case 1. The peripheral fixed contacts 4 to 7 are provided along the periphery around the center of the location of the central fixed contact 3 so as to be equally spaced apart from one another. The fixed contacts 3 to 7 are connected respectively to terminals 14 to 18 for connection to an external circuit.
A dome-shaped movable contact 8 is placed on the outer contacts 3A of the central fixed contact 3. On the other hand, resilient contact members 10 to 13 of a common movable contact member 9, which is secured by dowels 1A, are placed on the peripheral fixed contacts 4 to 7, respectively. The resilient contact members 10 to 13 are connected via a contact 19 to a terminal 19A for connection to an external circuit.
Compression coil springs 20 are arranged along the inner periphery of the wall of the case 1. The compression coil spring 20 biases a supporting member 21 upwards so that an upper end portion 21A thereof elastically contacts the lower surface of the cover 2.
A dent portion 21B is provided at the center of the supporting member 21, so as to hold a hemisphere rotation member 22. A flange portion 22A around the lower periphery of the rotation member 22 is placed on the bottom surface of the dent portion 21B provided at the center of the supporting member 21. An upper spherical surface portion 22B is in contact with a spherical circular hole 2A of the cover 2 so as to fit therein. Moreover, a rod-like operating shaft 23 made of a metallic material is fitted and held in a non-circular central vertical hole 22C of the rotation member 22 so that it can move vertically.
A lower end portion 23A of the operating shaft 23 extends downwards past the rotation member so as to be in contact with the dome-shaped movable contact 8 provided at the center of the bottom surface of the case 1. On the other hand, an operating knob 24 is attached to a tip portion 23B of the operating shaft 23 which extends upwards out of the case 1.
Moreover, pressing portions 25A to 25D are provided on the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the supporting member 21 so as to correspond respectively to the resilient contact members 10 to 13 of the common movable contact member 9.
Hereinafter, the operation of the conventional multidirectional operating switch having such a configuration will be described further referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 as well as FIG. 1. Each of FIGS. 3 and 4 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a certain operation state of the conventional multidirectional operating switch.
In the state shown in FIG. 1, the operating shaft 23 is in the vertical and neutral position, with the lower end portion 23A thereof not pressing down the dome-shaped movable contact 8. In this state, connection between any pair of the contacts is in the OFF state.
When an end of the knob 24 (the left end in the example illustrated in FIG. 3) is pressed down as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 3, the operating shaft 23 is tilted, and the rotation member 22 rotates to the left while being in contact with the spherical circular hole 2A of the cover 2. Thus, the end portion of the flange portion 22A on the lower surface of the rotation member 22 presses down the bottom surface of the dent portion 21B of the supporting member 21, and the supporting member 21 is tilted to the left about a fulcrum at the upper end portion 21A on the side of the square opposite to the side of the pressed surface. Thus, the resilient contact member 10, which corresponds to the pressing portion 25A, is pressed down so as to contact the corresponding peripheral fixed contact 4. This turns ON the connection between the common movable contact member 9 and the peripheral fixed contact 4 so as to supply a signal to the outside through the terminals 19A and 15.
At this point, a portion of the peripheral upper end portion 21A of the supporting member 21 which is located on the left in FIG. 3 comes off the lower surface of the cover 2 while compressing downwards the compression coil spring 20. Thereafter, when the force being applied to the knob 24 is removed, the supporting member 21 and the rotation member 22 are pushed back to the original neutral position by virtue of the restoring force of the compression coil spring 20. Moreover, the resilient contact member 10 comes off the peripheral fixed contact 4 and back to the original position (see FIG. 1) by virtue of the resilient restoring force thereof, whereby the switch contact is turned back to the OFF state.
As described above, by pressing down the upper surface of the knob 24 at a certain point thereof, a signal is supplied from the switch to the outside through one of the terminals 16 to 18 which corresponds to the pressed position (direction).
Moreover, when the operating shaft 23 is pressed down by vertically pressing down the central portion of the upper surface of the knob 24, i.e., the operating shaft 23, as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 4, the lower end portion 23A of the operating shaft 23 presses down the dome-shaped movable contact 8. This inverts the dome-shaped movable contact 8, thereby generating a click while turning ON the connection between the central fixed contact 3 (between 3A and 3B), and a signal is generated and supplied to the outside through the terminal 14.
When the force being applied to the knob 24 is removed, the operating shaft 23 is pushed up by virtue of the restoring force of the dome-shaped movable contact 8 so as to be back in the original position as shown in FIG. 22.
However, while there has been a strong demand for downsizing various electronic apparatuses, the conventional multidirectional operating switch having such a configuration is too large in terms of outer diameter and thickness, and will not satisfy such a downsizing demand. Moreover, the number of components is large, and the cost is high.
Furthermore, a click is not generated when a switching operation is performed by tilting the operating shaft 23, whereby the switching operation cannot be ensured by a feel.

Multidirectional operating switch and multidirectional operating apparatus using the same

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A knocking sensor comprises: a cylindrical body including a cylindrical portion and a supporting flange provided at an outer circumference of a lower end of the cylindrical portion; parts including an insulating member, an electrode plate and an annular piezoelectric element; and a fixing member including a tubular portion which comprises a holding portion protruding from an outer circumference of the tubular portion and is formed to insert into the cylindrical portion from an upper end of the cylindrical portion, the holding portion being elastically deformable to hold the parts, wherein the fixing member is fixed in the cylindrical portion by inserting the tubular portion into the cylindrical portion from the upper end of the cylindrical portion and wherein the parts are clamped and fixed between the supporting flange and the holding portion by holding the parts elastically with the holding portion, while the fixing member is fixed in the cylindrical portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a knocking sensor and, more particularly, to a non-resonance type knocking sensor for detecting a knocking of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following structures are known as example of such a knocking sensor (as will be shortly referred to as the "sensor"). In one structure (of JP-A-2002-257624): an insulating member, an electrode plate, an annular piezoelectric element, an electrode plate and an insulating member are arranged sequentially in the recited order on a supporting flange, which is formed at the outer circumference of the lower end of a cylindrical portion of a cylindrical body; a ring-shaped weight (or a weight) is arranged on the upper insulating member; and the piezoelectric element is clamped on the supporting flange. In this structure, a vibrating load according to a knocking vibration is applied to the piezoelectric element by the weight so that the piezoelectric element may generate a voltage signal according to the knocking vibration. The signal voltage is extracted from connection terminals wired to and connected with the electrode plates on the two faces of the piezoelectric element thereby to detecting a knocking so that an ignition timing or the like is controlled to suppress the occurrence of the knocking.
In this knocking sensor, the means widely adopted for clamping to fix the piezoelectric element together with the individual members is a fixing structure using a nut, in which a washer (or a disc spring) having spring properties is arranged on a weight so that the piezoelectric element is fastened by screwing a screw member such as the nut into threaded portion formed in the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion. There is also a knocking sensor, which has fixing means other than that screw type.
Specifically, the knocking sensor (of JP-A-11-173907) is provided with: a case worked from a metal plate to have a vertical inner circumference wall, a horizontal bottom wall and a vertical outer circumference wall concentric to the inner circumference wall to define an annular housing portion having an open upper end; an annular piezoelectric element housed on the bottom portion of the housing portion; an annular weight arranged in the housing portion on the upper side of the piezoelectric element and fitted and fixed on the inner circumference wall of the case by pressing it into the case; and a resin filler filling the cavity of the housing portion. This knocking sensor is made to have the structure, in which the annular weight is pressed and fixed in and a long the inner wall of the housing portion of the case for housing the piezoelectric element and so on so that the piezoelectric element is held by that weight.
In the technique disclosed in JP-A-2002-257624, the means for pressing and fixing the piezoelectric element is exemplified by screwing the nut into the threaded portion formed in the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion. Therefore, it is possible to acquire the reliability in clamping (or pressing) and fixing the piezoelectric element. However, this structure may cause a situation, in which fine metal chips (e.g., fine strips or powder) may be generated between the nut and the threaded portion in the outer circumference of the cylindrical portion by the friction between them. The fine metal chips may stick to the electrodes of the piezoelectric element or the electrode plates in the case thereby to cause a short-circuiting drawback and to invite failures.
In the press-in structure of the weight described in JP-A-11-173907, on the other hand, the weight is pressed in along the inner circumference wall of the case, in which the piezoelectric element is housed and arranged. This structure increases the probability of such a danger more seriously than the aforementioned nut screwing case that the fine metal chips (i.e., the metallic fine strips or powder making the case or weight) are formed by the friction (or wear) action or the scraping action between the weight and the inner circumference wall at the press-in time. Specifically, those metal chips highly probably intrude into the case in the press-in procedure. The chips stick to the electrodes of the piezoelectric element or the electrode plates in the case thereby to cause a serious problem that the short-circuiting drawback is invited to raise the probability of danger of failures.


A printing plate registration device, system, and method of the type for replaceably holding a printing plate in proper registration on a plate cylinder for use in an offset printing pres. The registration device includes tapered registration pins affixed to the plate cylinder in registration alignment. The tapered pins have a base which is sized for interference fit with registration holes formed in the replaceable printing plate. A clamp is attached for replaceably holding the printing plate into rigid interference fit around the base of each of the tapered registration pins.

Previously known offset printing presses have generally used a printing plate registration system comprising a series of hardened, aligned pins adjustably positionable across the face of the printing plate cylinder with correspondingly positioned registration holes punched along one edge of a thin sheet metal printing plate. The pins are inserted through the larger registration holes as the printing plate with an image chemically formed thereon is placed circumferentially around the plate cylinder. An operator manually holds the printing plate so that the leading edges of the registration holes are firmly against the leading arc of the smaller pins. Thus held, the printing plate is clamped along its leading edge to hold it rigidly in place. The trailing edge of the printing plate is gripped with similar pins inserted through similarly punched tension holes along the trailing edge of the printing plate. Tension is placed on the printing plate by drawing the printing plate circumferentially around the plate cylinder. Typically, the trailing edge tension pins merely apply a sufficient even tension on the printing plate to hold it around the cylinder without changing its orientation with respect to the clamped leading edge. The position of the leading edge registration pins can be adjusted using knurled knob screws on either end of a bar holding the leading register pins. Once the printing plate is properly aligned, so that the image is parallel to the axis of rotation of the printing roller and also so that the image is properly spaced circumferentially around the plate, then printing can be initiated.
In the case of multiple roller offset printing presses, such as multi-color printing, each printing plate which applies dots of color must be adjusted for coordinated registration with each other printing plate, which applies dots of another color so that the color dots are properly aligned for application to the printing material to produce a sharp, rather than a blurred image. The registration holes are larger than the pins by which they are engaged, so that the operator can easily place the printing plates thereover. This, however, permits the operator to inadvertently hold each of the separate printing plates at a slightly different orientation prior to clamping. It becomes necessary to realign the plates at each roller for each printing job. Misalignment by a few thousandths of an inch at the registration pins can result in a blurred image or an otherwise poor quality printing job.

Printing plate register system, device, and method


A riser assembly is provided for transmitting gas from a buried line to a meter manifold. The riser assembly includes an adapter having a mounting structure at one end for connection to a manifold and having an opening at an opposite end. An inner casing has a first end received through the opening and a second end extending therefrom for connection with an associated buried line. A seal assembly is interposed between the inner casing and the adapter for sealing therebetween. A gripping assembly holds the inner casing in the adapter. A protective tubular assembly is received over the inner casing. The tubular assembly has a first end received in the opening and a second end extending therefrom a dimension sufficient to cover the inner casing above ground. The protective tubular assembly includes a steel liner received over the inner casing for protecting the inner casing, an anticorrosive coating received on the steel liner and a plastic jacket received over the coating and the liner for providing a protective barrier thereto.

The present invention relates to gas transmission assemblies. More particularly, it relates to gas risers used in transmitting natural gas from a buried underground gas line to a home or business.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,914 is commonly owned by the assignee of the present application and the details of that patent are incorporated herein by reference. It generally illustrates a prior art gas riser assembly of the type to which the subject invention pertains where natural gas is supplied from a main, through a buried service line, and eventually to the riser assembly. The riser assembly extends from an underground connection with the service line, through an elbow region, to a vertically disposed pipe that communicates with a manifold of an above-ground gas meter.
The prior art gas riser assembly includes a double-walled conduit comprising an inner, plastic tube or casing received inside a rigid, outer casing. The inner casing defines the fluid passage for the gas as it is transported from the service line to the manifold. The riser assembly is connected to the manifold in a fluid tight manner so that a sealed passageway is provided from the underground connection with the service line to the manifold.
Strength of the riser is an important consideration. It must be strong enough to support the weight load of the residential piping system, while maintaining a sealed relationship with the manifold. It is also preferred that the assembly be electrically isolated from ground contact. Additionally, it is desirably to use corrosion-free material in the riser assembly since the outer casing, which is typically made of steel, is otherwise subject to corrosive attack. For this reason the outer casing is usually treated, i.e., coated, to prevent corrosion.
One problem with prior riser assemblies is the degradation of the coating material prior to installation. Risers are typically stored loosely in installation vehicles for days, even weeks at a time. During this time the riser may easily be subjected to collision with other objects in the storage area. These collisions may undesirably damage or weaken the anticorrosive coating, creating an increased likelihood of corrosion at or near the areas of impact.
Thus, there is a desire for a new and improved riser assembly that overcomes the foregoing difficulties and others while producing better and more advantageous overall results. The new and improved riser assembly should be corrosion resistant, durable, isolated from electrical ground contact, and strong enough to support the weight load of residential piping assembly resulting in an extended service life.


A computer system that provides device specific power characterizations for power control and budgeting functions is disclosed. The device driver programs of the computer system or a power characterizer of the system determines device specific power characterizations for corresponding devices under device specific controlled conditions. The device specific power characterizations are stored in persistent storage for subsequent use by power control and budgeting functions.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of computer systems. More particularly, this invention relates to computer system power management with device specific characterization of power consumption.
2. Background
Computer systems such as portable computer systems, desktop computer systems, and server systems typically include a power supply subsystem. Such a power supply subsystem supplies electrical current to the components and devices of the computer system. For example, portable or notebook computer systems typically include a battery subsystem that supplies direct current (DC) to devices and components. In addition, desktop or server systems typically include a power supply that converts an alternating current (AC) power source into DC for the devices and components of the computer system.
Typically, such power supplies impose limits on the amount of electrical current available to the computer system. For example, a battery subsystem for a typical prior notebook computer usually provides a limited level of peak electrical current for a limited duration before battery replacement or recharging is required. In addition, the AC power supply in prior desktop or server systems typically imposes an upper limit on the amount of peak electrical current available to the computer system.
Such limits on the availability of electrical current typically imposes a variety of constraints on the operations of computer systems. For example, a desktop or server system having multiple rotating media mass storage devices such as disk drives may exceed the capacity of the power supply under some conditions. Such disk drives usually draw maximum electrical current during startup while the disk platter spins up to the appropriate angular speed. The peak electrical current draw in such a system may exceed the capacity of the AC power supply if multiple disk drives startup concurrently. Such strains on an AC power supply typically causes the power supply voltage level to drop below normal operating levels. Such low voltage levels may cause hardware errors and erroneous system resets. Similarly, excess electrical current draws on the battery supply in a notebook computer system may cause lowered voltage levels and lead to hardware errors and erroneous system resets.
Some prior desktop or server systems implement an over-designed power supply capable of supplying the peak electrical current required to spin up multiple diskdrives concurrently even though normal system operation does not require such peak current levels. Unfortunately, such high capacity power supplies typically increase the cost of such desktop or server systems. In addition, such high capacity power supplies are typically less efficient over a wide range of electrical supply current in comparison to lower capacity power supplies.
Other prior computer systems implement power management mechanisms that attempt to control the amount of electrical current drawn from the power supply. For example, a prior desktop or server system may provide a controlled startup sequence for the disk drives that prevents the system from exceeding the maximum electrical current capability of the AC power supply. In addition, prior power management mechanisms for notebook computers typically switch off the display screen backlight during a startup phase of a disk drive or during some other activity that requires a large electrical current draw from the battery power supply.
Such prior power management schemes usually rely on hard coded values for the electrical current requirements of the computer system. Such hard coded characterizations of power consumption are typically based upon average current consumption measurements obtained during manufacture. Unfortunately, such hard coded values typically provide inaccurate characterizations because the actual electrical current draw of any given device or combination of devices usually varies from such average values. Such inaccurate device power characterizations can lead to excessive current draws on a power supply, and thereby create the low-voltage levels that cause hardware errors and erroneous system resets.
In addition, prior power management mechanisms for notebook computers typically rely on hard coded values for the electrical current requirements of the system. Unfortunately, such hard coded characterizations of power consumption may cause such a system to switch off the display screen backlight during disk drive startup even though the actual disk drive installed in the notebook consumes less electrical current during spin up than the originally specified the disk drive for the system. Unnecessary power management actions such as switching off the screen display backlight creates unnecessary annoyances for the computer user and unnecessary interruptions in other system functions.

Method and system for dynamically power budgeting with device specific characterization of power consumption using device driver programs


A method for fabricating an optical fiber impulse sensor having an optical fiber and a molded portion molded around the perimeter of the optical fiber. The method forms, in the molded portion, an optical fiber insertion hole and an optical fiber insertion slit for inserting the optical fiber into the optical fiber insertion hole. The method inserts the optical fiber from the slit into the optical fiber insertion hole.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical fiber impulse sensor fabrication method, which senses an impulse by converting the impulsive stress into an optical transmission characteristic of the optical fiber, and which enhances workability.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an optical fiber impulse sensor, there is a type in which a stress concentration sheet with square perforations is mounted in a straight portion of a U-folded or straightened heat-resistant plastic optical fiber (hereafter, referred to as HPOF), for example, and in which a rubber material is molded in constant width and thickness around the perimeter of those HPOF and stress concentration sheet.
A conventional optical fiber impulse sensor fabrication method is as follows: An iron round bar is placed along a stress concentration sheet in a rubber material to extrude the rubber material so that the rubber material covers the perimeter of the iron round bar and stress concentration sheet, and the rubber material is molded by means of a press to have a square cross section, and the iron round bar is pulled and removed from the cross section to form a cavity longitudinally extending through the inside of the rubber material, and the rubber material is then secondarily cross-linked to solidify it, and air is injected into the cavity from one longitudinal end, while an HPOF is inserted up to a predetermined position from the other end.
Refer also to JP-A-2005-140752.
In inserting the HPOF into the rubber material after removing the iron round bar, however, there is the problem of poor workability caused by the air injection into the cavity being complicated, and by the HPOF insertion into the cavity being time-consuming.

Optical fiber impulse sensor fabricating method


A soil nail launching device and method are provided wherein the launching device includes an improved configuration for the protective shroud and an improved configuration for a connection between the breach and barrel of the launching device. For the protective shroud, a plurality of removable shroud plates are provided to ease maintenance of the shroud plate, as well as to provide more consistent pressure release after the launcher has been fired. The improved breach and barrel design includes a connection that does not reduce the area of the annular space that is evacuated during firing of the device, thereby optimizing the available volume of air to be transferred to the breach for launching the soil nail through the barrel.

In order to stabilize soil and rock formations, it is known to utilize soil nailing in which a plurality of elongate reinforcing members are driven into the ground in an array in order to improve the bulk properties of the surrounding soil and rock.
One reference that discloses a device and method of soil nailing includes the U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,831, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Two additional examples of references that disclose soil nailing techniques includes the British Patent No. 1,580,142, and the European Patent 0 239 258.
While these references may be adequate for their intended purposes, there is still a need to provide an improved soil nailing device that is easier to maintain, as well as one that is more efficient by having the capability to launch a greater number of soil nails over a period of time.
The portion of the soil nailing device that contacts the ground when a nail is being launched is referred to as the shroud or baffle assembly which enables the distribution of pressure away from the barrel of the launcher, and also captures any fragments that are carried through the barrel, such as the sabot or collett which is attached to the distal tip of the soil nail. As time progresses, the baffle may become clogged with soil or other debris, thereby limiting its ability to effectively release high-pressure from the barrel. The baffle may become damaged over time, thereby also changing it pressure-relieving characteristics. The failure to consistently relieve pressure from the barrel as the nail is launched can negatively affect the depth of the launched nail. Therefore, there is a need to provide an improved design for the baffle to ensure it captures fragments launched from the barrel, yet allows effective pressure release from the barrel.
Another disadvantage of existing soil nailing devices is that it may take an inordinate amount of time to pressurize the device so that a nail can be launched. One type of soil nailing device includes a barrel having a coaxial arrangement of an inner tube/casing and an outer tube/casing. The annular space between the inner and outer tubes is pressurized, and supplies the motive force for launching the soil nail by release of pressure within this annular space into the breach of the barrel. This annular space is pressurized by a source of compressed gas. Preferably, the source of compressed gas includes a plurality of pressurized containers that are stored on a deployment vehicle that transports and secures the launching device. One limiting factor in how quickly soil nails can be launched depends upon the time in which it takes to adequately pressurize the annular space for the next nail to be launched. Because of the noise associated with the launching of a nail, safety requirements for construction along highways and other roads generally require that traffic be stopped during the launching of a nail. The more quickly the soil nails can be launched, the less disruption for traffic flow and of course the more quickly a job can be completed. Therefore, there is also a need to provide a soil nail launching device that has a shorter cycle time in terms of the number of soil nails that can be launched in a period of time.
Additionally, there is also a need to reduce the required pressure to launch a nail, yet still achieving the same depth of penetration for a soil nail that is launched. A reduced pressure requirement will inherently reduce the time to launch successive nails.


The disclosure provides the use of aryl or heteroaryl boronic acid in the preparation of 5-(hydroxymethyl)fufural (HMF) from saccharides. The aryl or heteroaryl boronic bearing electron-withdrawing groups on the aryl or heteroaryl ring of the boronic acid provided good yields. The disclosure provides a method for preparing HMF from saccharides in the presence of aryl or heteroaryl boronic acid. The disclosure provides a method for converting a saccharide other than fructose in fructose via a dehydrogenation reaction catalyzed by aryl or heteroaryl boronic acid.

Fossil fuel is currently still the major source of functionalized carbon skeleton for the chemical and energy industry. However, as prices of oil increase and fossil fuel reservoirs deplete, new demands for molecules from renewable resources will be created, and biomass conversions using bio-refineries are expected to play a more significant role in the future.1 One important advantage of using biomass is that the carbon source is renewable as it ultimately comes from atmospheric carbon dioxide, harvested photosynthetically to form simple sugars and their polymers such as cellulose. Furthermore, since cellulose is the most abundant organic molecule on earth, it has recently become the principle focus of emerging renewable carbon-fuel technology.2 The earliest form of biomass conversion was from lignocellulose, an abundant material comprising of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, and its earliest use was the commercial production of ethanol through a fermentation process in the early 20th century3. Cellulose and hemicellulose were regarded as of particularly high importance because their glucose monomers were the source of carbon in the production of ethanol, although other types of monosaccharide are also present in hemicellulose. However, more complex functionalized carbon skeletons are needed if biomass was to replace fossil fuel as the raw material for precursors in synthetic polymer and pharmaceutical production.4
One of the most promising chemical building blocks, among those previously considered, is 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF), first discovered by Dull, G. in 1895.5 HMF holds the potential to securing future energy and chemical needs as it is obtainable from renewable sources such as non-food crops, avoiding competition with food. HMF is synthesized mainly by the dehydration of monosaccharides, although dissacharides or polysaccharides such as sucrose, cellobiose, inulin and cellulose can be used as starting materials with a necessary initial hydrolysis step for depolymerisation.6
One example of the use of HMF is its conversion to 2,5-dimethylfuran (DMF) whose energy content of 31.5 MJ L−1 is comparable to that of gasoline (35 MJ L−1) and 40% greater than that of ethanol (23 MJ L−1).7 Other uses include its conversion to other important molecules in the chemical industry such as levulinic acid (LA)—a precursor to plastics, 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF)—an intermediate to pharmaceuticals, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDA)—a precursor to polyester, and many more8.
Fortunately, the most important source of HMF remains to be that from cellulose—the major component of non-food crops (Scheme 1).

Research in this area is relatively new and there are still many challenges to overcome. The first challenge to overcome in using cellulose-based feedstock is its dissolution. Cellulose has a highly crystalline structure with extensive network of intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen-bonds within and between parallel chains, respectively, rendering it insoluble in most solvents.9 Many attempts have been made to solve this problem and the most successful methods are those using (1) NaOH and urea at low temperatures, and (2) ionic liquid (IL).10 However, since monosaccharide dehydration is catalysed by acids, IL is the better solvent for a one-pot HMF production from cellulose after hydrolysis to glucose. Furthermore, ILs have many advantages over other solvents.11
The second challenge to HMF production from cellulose is that, while the dehydration of fructose to HMF is known to occur readily12, the dehydration of its glucose monomer after hydrolysis proceeds slowly due to the slow first-step isomerisation to fructose (Scheme 1).
One explanation for this is the fact that there is a much lower abundance of acyclic isomers for glucose compared to fructose.13 Glucose can form stable ring structures, slowing down its isomerization to fructose and thus conversion to HMF. Many attempts have been made to address this bottle-neck, using either Brönsted acid or Lewis acid catalysts.14 However, Brönsted acids catalyse more unwanted side-reactions due to its strong aqueous acidity.13b
In recent years, catalysts for carbohydrate dehydration have undergone a remarkable process of evolution, and several Lewis acid catalysts have been reported6. However, the yields remain lower, and unwanted side-reactions remain higher, than are practically desirable for many of these Lewis acid catalysts reported—with the exception of transition metal chlorides such as GeCl4, SnCl4, CrCl3 and CrCl2.12,15 Anhydrous CrCl3 is currently the best known catalyst for glucose dehydration to HMF. Discovered by Zhao et al., the group reported HMF yields of 68-70% for the dehydration of glucose in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([EMIm]CI) IL solvent at a temperature of 100° C. for 3 hours, at 6 mol % catalyst loading with respect to glucose (Scheme 2).12 This result was also supported by work done by others.16 However, chromium chloride salts are known to be toxic and environmentally hazardous, limiting its practical scale-up in industrial processes17.

On the other hand, boron-based catalysts such as boronic acids may be considered to be non-metals and are known to possess low toxicity, as evidenced by their applications in medicine. Furthermore, from an environmental perspective, boronic acids will degrade to the relatively benign boric acid in air and aqueous media, although the fate of the rest of the molecule depends on the nature of its substituent. Despite these advantages, however, no study has been done on the use of boronic acids as catalysts for HMF production, even though it is known to be a Lewis acid by virtue of its vacant p-orbital. Khokhlova, E. A. et al. reported on the mechanistic study of B(OH)3, B2O3 and PhB(OH)3 in carbohydrate conversion to HMF using NMR studies, although no measurement of HMF yields were made.18 As early as 1974, Scott, R. W. et al. used boric acids in the dehydration of mannose, while in 2010, Stahlberg, T. et al. discovered B(OH)3's role in the dehydration of glucose to HMF with a reported yield of up to 41.5% in [EMIm]Cl at a temperature of 120° C. for 3 hours, and at 100 mol % catalyst amount with respect to glucose19,20.
Boronic acids' entry into biological and medicinal applications only started in the early 1990s. Of its biological applications, the most relevant for discussion are its role in glucose sensors and transmembrane transporters, both of which require the selective interaction of boronic acid with 1.2 and 1,3 diols on the glucose molecule to form boronate ester complexes with 5- and 6-membered rings, respectively (Scheme 3b). It was observed that the formation constant for diol boronate anion complex (Ktet) was much higher than the formation constant for diol boronic acid complex (Ktrig), highlighting its preference for the anionic form (Scheme 3a). One reason given was that the neutral diol boronic acid complex deviated from its ideal trigonal planar bond angle of 120° due to an O—B—O angle compression to 113°, while the anionic complex provides a closer match to the ideal tetrahedral geometry bond angle.

However, there is still a need to provide further and improved catalysts to be used in the conversion of saccharides such as glucose or cellulose in HMF and thereby provide a more efficient and economic process for HMF production.

Small molecule catalyst for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural production from saccharides