An oxidation/diffusion processing apparatus includes a processing vessel, arranged such that a longitudinal direction is vertical, for storing a plurality of target objects to be processed, a heater arranged around the processing vessel, for heating the interior of the processing vessel, a process gas supply mechanism for supplying a process gas from the lower portion of the processing vessel into the processing vessel, and an exhaust mechanism for exhausting a processed exhaust gas from the upper portion of the processing vessel. The process gas is supplied to the target objects heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater to perform oxidation/diffusion processing to the target objects.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vertical oxidation/diffusion processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, in the manufacture of a semiconductor device, when oxidation/diffusion processing is to be performed to a semiconductor, a vertical oxidation/diffusion processing apparatus having a fused silica processing vessel is used. As the vertical oxidation/diffusion processing apparatus, a processing apparatus having a single tube structure processing vessel (U.S. Pat. No. 5,088.922) and a processing apparatus having a double tube structure processing vessel are conventionally used.
The processing apparatus in which a processing vessel has a single tube structure has the processing vessel of fused silica and a heater arranged around the processing vessel. A gas supply pipe is arranged inside or outside the processing vessel to extend from the lower portion to upper portion of the processing vessel, and a process gas is supplied from the upper portion of the processing vessel. The gas supply pipe is arranged to extend from the lower portion to upper portion of the processing vessel as described above because the process gas is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heater before the process gas is supplied into the processing vessel. When the process gas is heated in advance, desirable oxidation/diffusion processing can be performed. A gas exhaust pipe is arranged at the lower portion of the processing vessel. A wafer boat in which a large number of semiconductor wafers are arranged at predetermined intervals is mounted in the processing vessel, and predetermined oxidation/diffusion processing is performed to the semiconductor wafers.
When oxidation/diffusion processing is performed to the semiconductor wafers by the above apparatus, the temperature in the processing vessel is increased to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 1,000.degree. C.) by the heater. while the semiconductor wafers are placed in the processing vessel, a process gas is supplied from the gas supply pipe. The process gas is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heater while the process gas rises in the gas supply pipe, and the heated process gas is supplied from the gas supply pipe into the processing vessel. The process gas supplied into the processing vessel flows from the upper portion to the lower portion of the processing vessel, and oxidation/diffusion processing is performed to the surfaces of the semiconductor wafers by the process gas. An exhaust gas is externally exhausted from the gas exhaust pipe.
On the other hand, in the processing apparatus in which a processing vessel has a double tube structure, the processing vessel is constituted by an inner tube and an outer tube, a gas supply pipe is arranged at the lower portion of the outer tube, and a gas exhaust pipe is arranged at the lower portion of the inner tube. A process gas supplied from the gas supply pipe rises between the inner tube and the outer tube and heated to a predetermined temperature, and oxidation/diffusion processing is performed to semiconductor wafers by the heated process gas.
However, in the conventional oxidation/diffusion processing apparatuses, the following inconvenience is posed.
When the processing vessel has the single or double tube structure, the process gas is supplied from the upper portion of the processing vessel, flows downward toward the lower portion, and is exhausted from the lower portion of the processing vessel. For this reason, the process gas resides due to the presence of the heat-insulating cylinder arranged at the lower portion of the processing vessel to support a wafer boat and insulate heat, the uniformity of oxidation/diffusion processing of a semiconductor wafer arranged on one side of the lower portion of the processing vessel is poor. In addition, since the gas exhaust pipe is arranged on only one side of the lower portion of the processing vessel, the flow of the process gas flowing downward in the processing vessel is offset on one side. For this reason, the oxidation/diffusion processing of the semiconductor wafer arranged on the lower portion side of the processing vessel is not uniformed.
When the processing vessel has the single tube structure, since a process gas having a relatively low temperature flows in the gas supply pipe, a temperature around the gas supply pipe becomes relatively low, and the temperature of a wafer surface is not uniformed. As a result, the thickness of an oxide film is not uniformed. When a gas supply pipe of fused silica is arranged outside the processing vessel of fused silica and is welded to the vessel, the gas supply pipe is easily damaged and cannot be easily handled at the time of maintenance such as cleaning of the processing vessel. When the processing vessel having the double tube structure is used, its structure is complicated, and the manufacture of the apparatus is cumbersome, thereby increasing the production cost of the apparatus.


The invention provides an improved process for preparing a carbostyril compound (1) or a salt thereof that is useful as a medicament, which makes it possible to prepare it more safely and efficiently.

The carbostyril compound of the invention, which means a carbostyril compound (chemical name: 2-(4-chlorobenzoylamino)-3-[2(1H)-quinolinon-4-yl]propionic acid) of the following formula (1), is a medicament that has a potent effect on the treatment of gastric ulcer, acute gastritis, or gastric mucosa lesion affected in acute exacerbation of chronic gastritis.

As an example of the process for preparing the carbostyril compounds (1) of the invention, a process shown in the following Scheme 1 is known (JP-A-60-19767). The process is illustrated as follows:
That is,
the compound (2) is reacted with the compound (3) in the presence of a base such as sodium ethoxide to give the compound (4);
the compound (4) is hydrolyzed and decarboxylated in the presence of a mineral acid such as hydrochloric acid to prepare the compound (5); and then
the compound (5) is acylated with 4-chlorobenzoyl-chloride (6) to prepare the desired compound of the formula (1).

In the process for preparing the compound (5) from the compound (4) which is shown in the above scheme, the compound (4) needs to be heated under reflux, for example, in 20% hydrochloric acid. In this reaction process, however, ethanol, carbon dioxide, acetic acid and ethyl acetate are by-produced as the reaction proceeds. Accordingly, the surface of the reaction mixture is intensely bubbled by the generated carbon dioxide and additionally the bubbles do not disappear shortly. Especially when the amount of hydrochloric acid for the compound (4) is small, the surface of the reaction mixture is intensely developed by such bubbles, and hence it often becomes difficult to continue refluxing. In addition, such intense development of the surface is accompanied with a dangerous bumping, and hence the safety for the development is a big problem when the desired carbostyril compound (1) is produced in bulk. In order to prevent such bubbles, it is necessary to keep the reaction heated gently, therefore, a sufficient heating could not be given to promote the reaction. Furthermore, ethanol, ethyl acetate, etc. which are by-produced in the above-mentioned reaction process make the reflux temperature lowered and thereby there arises a problem inducing the delay of the reaction rate. Therefore, it is an important factor on the industrial preparation of the carbostyril compound (1) of the invention how the process from the compound (4) to compound (5) is carried out safely and efficiently.

Process for production of carbostyril compound

Abstract: In more detail, the invention provides an improved process for preparing the carbostyril compound (1) by heating the compound (4) with a high boiling solvent in hydrochloric acid under reflux to give the compound (5) safely; and then acylating the compound (5).


Disclosed herein is an aluminum alloy composition consisting essentially of, on the basis of total weight of the composition, 13 to 28 wt % of silicon, 1.5 to 5 wt % of a metal element selected from iron and manganese, 3 to 10 wt % of zinc, 0.5 to 1 wt % of magnesium, and aluminum as balance. Also disclosed herein is an aluminum alloy product made from said aluminum alloy composition and exhibiting improved mechanical properties at high temperatures, including excellent wear resistance, hardness and thermal stability.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to aluminum alloy compositions consisting essentially of, on the basis of total weight of the composition, 13 to 28 wt % of silicon, 1.5 to 5 wt % of a metal element selected from iron and manganese, 3 to 10 wt % of zinc, 0.5 to 1 wt % of magnesium, and aluminum as balance.
This invention also relates to aluminum alloy products made from said aluminum alloy compositions, the aluminum alloy products exhibiting improved mechanical properties at high temperatures, including excellent wear resistance, hardness and thermal stability.
2. Description of the Related Art
Aluminum alloys have been widely used in the automobile, transportation and other industries due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, superior processing properties and excellent weather-resistance. In early years, aluminum alloys were employed in the industry primarily due to the lightweight characteristics thereof, and the wear resistance of the same was seldom considered. However, since the 1970s, there arose many problems that need to be solved. In the first aspect, due to energy crisis, it was highly desired in industry to manufacture lightweight transportation vehicles that work with high efficiency. In the second aspect, since excellent wear-resistance was an indispensable property for some key components of transportation vehicles, manufacturers in the industry therefore endeavored to develop aluminum alloys with high wear-resistance.
Heretofore, precipitation hardening treatment is the main process used in the art to strengthen the hardness of commercially available aluminum alloys with median or high strength, such as aluminum alloys 2024, 6063, 7075, JIS AC9A, AA A390, etc. Precipitation hardening treatment is primarily conducted as follows: A selected aluminum alloy is heated to a specific temperature lower than the melting point thereof for a period of time, causing the added elements contained in the aluminum alloy to solubilize within the α-Al phase of the aluminum alloy. The above-described operating procedure is called "solid solution treatment." Once the added elements are completely solubilized within the α-Al phase of the aluminum alloy, the aluminum alloy is immediately immersed into a low temperature medium, so that a super-saturation of the solubilized elements within the aluminum alloy is achieved instead of the formation of precipitated particles from the solubilized elements. The thus-obtained aluminum alloy containing therein a super-saturation of solubilized elements is then placed at a specific temperature to cause particle precipitation from the super-saturated elements within the aluminum alloy. The above-described operating procedure is called "aging treatment."
The commercially available wear-resistant aluminum alloys, such as JIS AC9A, AA A390, etc., must be subjected to the precipitation hardening treatment in order to obtain a sufficient mechanical strength. However, the precipitation hardening treatment is time-consuming and costly. In addition, if these aluminum alloys are combined with other series of aluminum alloys by "casting in", their heat treatment conditions will be strictly limited and they may even become unsuitable for heat treatment. With respect to aluminum alloys 2024, 6063 and 7075, if they are held at a temperature higher than 150° C., the precipitates contained in strengthening phase thereof, such as MgZn2 and Al2Cu, will immediately become coarsened, thus deteriorating the strengthening effect of such aluminum alloys. Therefore, aluminum alloys 2024, 6063 and 7075 are only available for use at a temperature below 150° C.
However, with the advancement in the transportation industry, and in view of the increasing need of developing lightweight vehicles, applications of aluminum alloys have been extended to include environments with high temperatures. For example, they may be used to form engine blocks, engine cylinder liners, compressor pistons, disc brakes, etc. Therefore, it has become a very important subject in the light-metal industry to develop aluminum alloys with excellent mechanical properties at high temperatures.
In view of the aforesaid, it is highly desired to develop aluminum alloys that can be formed without precipitation hardening treatment and that exhibit improved mechanical properties at high temperatures, including excellent wear resistance, hardness and thermal stability.

Aluminum alloy with improved mechanical properties at high temperatures


In certain embodiments, a system for performing refractive treatment of an eye comprises a laser, a printer, and a computer. The laser emits a laser beam to prepare the eye for the refractive treatment. The printer prints material onto a print area of a target. The printer comprises a printer head and a printer controller. The printer head directs the material onto the print area, and the printer controller moves the printer head to direct the material onto a specific location of the print area. The computer comprises a memory and processors. The memory stores instructions for a pattern for the target. The pattern is designed to provide the refractive treatment for the eye. The processors instruct the printer controller to move the printer head to print the material onto the print area according to the pattern.

Refractive treatment of an eye refers to surgery performed to change the refractive properties of the eye to reduce refractive error in order to improve vision. Refractive error occurs when the shape of the eye does not bend light correctly, resulting in a blurred image. The main types of refractive errors are myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), presbyopia (loss of near vision with age), and astigmatism. Typical refractive treatments include laser in-situ keratomileusis (LASIK), photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), radial keratotomy (RK), astigmatic keratotomy (AK), automated lamellar keratoplasty (ALK), laser thermal keratoplasty (LTK), conductive keratoplasty (CK), and intracorneal ring (Intacs).

Refractive treatment of an eye by printing material onto a target


A portable gas-stove which includes a housing, a burner, a C-shaped tubular gas storage container a plurality of retaining hooks, an ignition means, and a top cover. The housing is provided with a plurality of air vents, base portion with a fixing slot for receiving the ignition means and a plurality of hook holders for holding the retaining hooks in place. The retaining hooks have arcuate hook portions for hooking and fixedly holding the gas storage container in the housing. The burner is centrally mounted in the housing and is provided at one side with a gas inlet. A gas connecting tube is connected between the gas inlet of the burner and a gas outlet on the gas storage container. The gas storage container can be refilled at any time by removably connecting a small gas cylinder to the container. This enables the gas-stove to be conveniently carried for use outdoors.

With the development of an industrial society, people are eager for various kinds of outdoor leisure activities for relaxation purposes. Picnic, fishing, barbecue, camping, and outdoor excursions are popular activities for such relaxation purposes. People will usually carry some food, water, and cooking equipment for use in such outdoor activities. A small gas stove is a convenient means for cooking outdoors. However, at least a gas cylinder or several small gas containers and a length of gas hose are needed along with the gas stove. It is not only inconvenient but also dangerous to carry a heavy and space-occupying gas-stove, gas cylinder, and gas hose for an outdoor activity. Also the connections between the gas cylinder, hose and gas-stove can sometimes.
It is therefore desirable to provide a portable gas-stove for convenient carrying and operation in outdoor activities to avoid the drawbacks existing in the conventional apparatus, ie. the gas-stove, heavy gas cylinder and connecting gas hose.


In a computer system including a packet-switched bus, a method for requesting transactions such that memory accesses are initiated quickly. A master transmits a first portion of a transaction request packet having multiple portion. A memory controller receives the first portion of the transaction request, which includes a row address portion of a memory address. The memory controller initiates a memory access by applying a row address strobe signal to the row of the memory location in response to receiving the first portion of the request packet, and the master transmits any remaining portion of the transaction request. After the full memory address has been received, it is determined whether data stored at the memory location is to be read from a source other than the memory location. The memory controller aborts the memory access by inhibiting assertion of a column access strobe signal to the memory location if the data is to be read from a source other than the memory location.

A typical uniprocessor computer system includes a processor and an associated cache memory that stores a subset of the information stored by the system memory. The cache memory acts as a high speed source of information for instructions to be executed by the processor. When a processor requests to read information that is not stored in the cache memory, a "cache miss" occurs, and the cache must be refilled with information fetched from system memory. The processor is typically stalled while the information is fetched from system memory, and the time required to fill the cache after a cache miss greatly affects the system latency of a uniprocessor computer system.
Typical multiprocessor computer systems include multiple processors each having an associated cache memory. Cache misses in a multiprocessor system are complicated by the fact that the most recent copy of the requested data may reside in another cache rather than in system memory. A cache coherence protocol is often implemented to track where the most recent copy of cached information is currently located. Typically, each processor independently maintains a state for its cache entries, and when another processor requests data from system memory to fill its cache, each of the other processors determines whether it, instead of system memory, should source the data.
A typical prior mechanism for maintaining cache coherence in a multiprocessor computer system is a globally shared address bus to which the processors and the memory subsystem are coupled. Each processor "snoops" the memory address that is driven on the address bus to determine whether its cache should source the requested data. The memory subsystem typically queues the request. A processor indicates that its cache is to source the requested data by asserting a shared "ownership" line, and the memory subsystem flushes the request from its queue before initiating the memory access request if a processor asserts the ownership line. Common interconnects that include a globally shared address bus are typically optimized for high bandwidth and throughput at the expense of an increase in latency.
As computer systems and computer system components become faster and more complex, increasing the efficiency of the common interconnect, in terms of both physical implementation and resource allocation, becomes a paramount concern for system designers. Increasing the efficiency of the common interconnect for use in a cache coherent multiprocessor computer system may result in a number of architectural changes such that the time required to fill a cache after a cache miss may become important to the system latency of the computer system. The time required to fill a cache after a cache miss is particularly critical to the unloaded system latency wherein no memory access requests are queued up ahead of the cache fill request.
Ideally, the unloaded system latency should be of the order of the latency of the Dynamic Random Access Memory ("DRAM") devices that comprise the system memory. Therefore, cache coherence operations and memory access requests should be completed within the time allotted for servicing a memory access request, and memory accesses should be initiated as quickly as possible. However, the physical implementation of the common interconnect may make it difficult to quickly initiate system memory accesses. For example, an address bus may be multiplexed such that two or more bus cycles are required to convey an entire transaction request packet, which includes the memory address of the memory location to be accessed. Therefore, a mechanism that quickly initiates memory accesses when a memory address is conveyed over multiple bus cycles is needed to reduce unloaded system latency.

Method and apparatus for quickly initiating memory accesses in a multiprocessor cache coherent computer system


A method and system for management of radio frequency coverage over a wide geographic area. A database is created specifying a geographic location for each of a large number of existing communication locations within a wide geographic area. Selected physical parameters are then associated with each communication location including: addresses; site plans; structural drawings; and, actual measured signal strength for multiple entities authorized to transmit at selected frequencies within that geographic area. Thereafter, communication locations may be automatically accessed by specifying either a physical location or by accessing those locations where measured signal strengths fall below a selected level. Once accessed, all stored physical parameters associated with a selected communication location may be displayed, including: photographs of the location, site plans, structural drawings and readiness data.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to the management of radio frequency coverage over wide geographic areas and in particular to a method and system for efficiently managing large numbers of communication sites disposed over a wide geographic area. Still particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for managing a large number of communication sites while preserving efficient access to various physical parameters associated with each site.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wireless communication systems, such as cellular telephone systems, have increased dramatically in recent years. The cellular telephone industry is currently utilizing a number of communication protocols for use with wireless telephones, filling out a larger number of frequency bands within which wireless telephones may operate and expanding into the utilization of various other wireless communication devices. Typical communication protocols may now include, without limitation, AMPS, N-AMPS, TDMA, CDMA, GSM, TACS wireless and ESMR. Newer wireless protocols may also include, without limitation, EVOO, WCDMA, WiFi and DAB. The particular protocol utilized for wireless communication, with respect to the present invention, is not determinative; however, each of these protocols has in common the requirement that wireless communications occur between individual customers and various mobile switching stations which serve as an interface between those customers and the telephone system, mobile media system, or other communication system.
Substantially all communication between mobile users and the primary communication system, in or contemplated in these types of systems, utilizes two types of "channels," including control channels which may be utilized for conveying information about the individual customer, for initiating or terminating communication, or for transferring data such as a short message system transfer. Voice channels are utilized in conjunction with control channels for conveying verbal communication over a wireless interface and are typically utilized only after a communications session or a call has been initiated utilizing the control channels.
Whatever protocol is utilized the one constant in such communication systems is the necessity of providing multiple mobile switching centers each having a communications site therein which may be utilized to communicate with individual customers utilizing radio frequency transmissions.
Management of any wireless communication system therefore requires management of multiple communication sites disposed at various locations throughout the countryside where communication will take place. These communication sites typically comprise towers; however, buildings, water towers or other structures may also be utilized as convenient points for such communication sites. Thus, it should be apparent that the sheer number of such communication sites necessary to maintain a large, state-of-the-art communication system can create a substantial management burden. It should therefore be obvious that a need exists for a method and system which permits efficient management of radio frequency communication over wide geographic areas.

Method and system for management of radio frequency communication coverage over wide geographic areas


A cap assembly (100, 200) for a lithium ion secondary battery (1000, 2000). The cap assembly includes a cap plate (30, 97), a leakproof film (20, 98), and a cap cover (10, 99). The cap plate (30, 97) includes a supporting portion (31, 971) and a safety film (32, 972). The safety film is positioned in the supporting portion (31, 971). The safety film (32, 972) defines safety grooves (33, 973). The safety film (32, 972) is capable of break down along the safety grooves (33, 973). The leakproof film (20, 98) is attached on the supporting portion (31, 971). The leakproof film (20, 98) is made of a material with high temperature resistance and elasticity properties. The cap cover (10, 99) is attached on the leakproof film (20, 98).

1. Field of the Invention
This present application relates to lithium ion secondary batteries, and more particular, to a cap assembly for a lithium ion secondary battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Lithium ion secondary batteries are widely used for high energy-density and rechargeable characters.
A typical lithium ion secondary battery includes a cap assembly 38 to be assembled to and enclose an upper end of a can 36. The cap assembly 38 includes a gasket 40, a cap cover 42, and a cap plate 52. The can 36 receives an electrode assembly and electrolyte. The gasket 40 receives the cap cover 42 and the cap plate 52. The cap cover 42 defines a number of through holes. The cap plate 52 is provided with a ring-shaped safety groove 54. When the internal pressure of the can 36 rises, the cap plate 52 will break along the safety groove 54 to evacuate gas to the exterior of the can 36 via the through hole of the cap cover 42. However, the electrolyte will also leak to the exterior via the through hole of the cap cover 42, which may result in burning and degradation of safety performance of the lithium secondary battery.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a cap assembly for lithium ion secondary battery, which can overcome the problems and limitations as mentioned above.

Cap assembly for lithium ion secondary battery


A control strategy for removing nitrogen from the anode side of a fuel cell stack. The control strategy includes using a bleed valve to remove the nitrogen during the operation of the fuel cell stack until the stack ages to a point where the bleed valve is maintained open, but the concentration of nitrogen in the anode side of the stack continues to increase. Once the concentration of nitrogen in the anode side increases to a predetermined level, then a purge valve is opened in combination with the bleed valve to reduce the concentration of nitrogen. Once the nitrogen concentration is reduced below the level, then both valves are closed, and the sequence is repeated.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system and method for removing nitrogen from the anode side of a fuel cell stack and, more particularly, to a system and method for removing nitrogen from the anode side of a fuel cell stack that includes using both a bleed valve and a purge valve to remove the nitrogen.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Hydrogen is a very attractive fuel because it is clean and can be used to efficiently produce electricity in a fuel cell. The automotive industry expends significant resources in the development of hydrogen fuel cells as a source of power for vehicles. Such vehicles would be more efficient and generate fewer emissions than today's vehicles employing internal combustion engines.
A hydrogen fuel cell is an electrochemical device that includes an anode and a cathode with an electrolyte therebetween. The anode receives hydrogen gas and the cathode receives oxygen or air. The hydrogen gas is dissociated in the anode to generate free protons and electrons. The protons pass through the electrolyte to the cathode. The protons react with the oxygen and the electrons in the cathode to generate water. The electrons from the anode cannot pass through the electrolyte, and thus are directed through a load to perform work before being sent to the cathode. The work acts to operate the vehicle.
Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are a popular fuel cell for vehicles. The PEMFC generally includes a solid polymer electrolyte proton conducting membrane, such as a perfluorosulfonic acid membrane. The anode and cathode typically include finely divided catalytic particles, usually platinum (Pt), supported on carbon particles and mixed with an ionomer. The catalytic mixture is deposited on opposing sides of the membrane. The combination of the anode catalytic mixture, the cathode catalytic mixture and the membrane define a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). MEAs are relatively expensive to manufacture and require certain conditions for effective operation. These conditions include proper water management and humidification, and control of catalyst poisoning constituents, such as carbon monoxide (CO).
Several fuel cells are typically combined in a fuel cell stack to generate the desired power. For example, a typical fuel cell stack for a vehicle may have two hundred or more stacked fuel cells. The fuel cell stack receives a cathode input gas, typically a flow of air forced through the stack by a compressor. Not all of the oxygen is consumed by the stack and some of the air is output as a cathode exhaust gas that may include water as a stack by-product. The fuel cell stack also receives an anode hydrogen input gas that flows into the anode side of the stack. The stack also includes flow channels through which a cooling fluid flows.
The fuel cell stack includes a series of flow field or bipolar plates positioned between the several MEAs in the stack. The bipolar plates include an anode side and a cathode side for adjacent fuel cells in the stack. Anode gas flow channels are provided on the anode side of the bipolar plates that allow the anode gas to flow to the anode side of the MEA. Cathode gas flow channels are provided on the cathode side of the bipolar plates that allow the cathode gas to flow to the cathode side of the MEA. The bipolar plates also include flow channels through which a cooling fluid flows.
The MEAs are porous and thus allow nitrogen in the air from the cathode side of the stack to permeate therethrough and collect in the anode side, referred to in the industry as nitrogen cross-over. Nitrogen in the anode side of the fuel cell stack dilutes the hydrogen such that if the nitrogen concentration increases beyond a certain percentage, such as 50%, the fuel cell stack becomes unstable and may fail.
It is known in the art to provide a bleed valve at the anode gas output of the fuel cell stack to remove nitrogen from the anode side. The bled hydrogen can be sent to any suitable location, such as a combustor or the cathode input to the stack. It is also known in the art to provide a purge valve at the anode gas output of the fuel cell stack to depressurize the anode side for rapid system shut-down and to reduce the pressure of the anode side if it significantly increases above the pressure of the cathode side. The purge valve is selectively opened because it creates a pressure drop between the cathode side and the anode side that could reduce the stack lifetime. The bleed valve has a much smaller orifice than the purge valve so that opening the bleed valve does not create a significant pressure difference between the anode side and the cathode side, which could reduce the life of the stack.
A control model is used to control the opening of the bleed valve during operation of the fuel cell stack to maintain the concentration of nitrogen below the certain percentage. As the fuel cell stack ages, the cross-over of nitrogen from the cathode side to the anode side increases as a result of degradation of the MEAs. The control model considers the increase of nitrogen cross-over, and controls the bleed valve accordingly to reduce the concentration of nitrogen in the anode side. However, eventually the fuel cell stack will age enough where maintaining the bleed valve in a constant open position will not remove enough of the nitrogen. Therefore, the fuel cell stack may fail as a result of dilution of the hydrogen. It is not desirable to provide a bleed valve having a larger orifice because the pressure drop created between the cathode side and the anode side when the bleed valve is open would also act to reduce the lifetime of the fuel cell stack.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System stability improvements tolerating increased nitrogen cross-over


Systems and methods are provided for contactless testing of a wafer containing at least one integrated circuit. A test component responds to a supply voltage to indicate at least one property of the wafer. A voltage source wirelessly receives power from an external source and produces the supply voltage. A reference generator generates a reference voltage, having a known magnitude, from the supply voltage. A voltage evaluation component modifies the response of the test component as to represent a magnitude of the supply voltage.

Variations among fabrication materials and processes can result in significant variance in the operation of a given integrated circuit design. It is thus frequently cost effective to test the wafers for manufacturing quality control. Unfortunately, that this testing can represent an added opportunity for damage to the relatively delicate structures located on the wafer. To this end, some manufacturers have begun using contactless testing, in which a test structure on the wafer is powered remotely, and the behavior of the test structure is evaluated via remote monitoring of high frequency emissions (e.g., microwave or RF emissions) from the test structure. It will be appreciated, however, that the wireless transmission and monitoring will not generally have the same degree of precision as traditional testing of the wafer.

Contactless testing of wafer characteristics


To position a wire-connected terminal TW and cope with a multitude of kinds of wire-connected terminals TW, a block 30 is provided for each wire-connected terminal TW. The block 30 includes recesses 34, 37 for detachably accommodating the wire-connected terminal TW. A part of the accommodated wire-connected terminal TW is exposed such that it can be gripped by hands 51, 52. The block 30 also includes a positioning means 38 for positioning the terminal TW accommodated in the recesses 34, 37 with respect to the hands 51, 52. Since the terminal TW is securely positioned in a transferring step of transferring the wire-connected terminal TW to the hands 51, 52, the succeeding step performed by the hands 51, 52 can be securely performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a block and a retainer for wire-connected terminals, and to a wire connection process line using the block and retainer. The retainer accommodates a terminal-connected wire which is juxtaposed with a terminal inserting unit that automatically inserts terminals mounted on wires into a connector housing to form a wiring harness for an automotive vehicle or for a copier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes processes for automatically manufacturing a wire assembly, such as a wiring harness for an automotive vehicle, a copier or the like. The prior art process for automatically manufacturing a wiring harness includes steps for producing a terminal-connected wire. These prior art process steps include cutting a wire to a predetermined length, peeling the insulation coating at the opposite ends of the cut wire, connecting terminals to the peeled ends of the wire and inserting the terminals of the terminal-connected wires into a connector housing. Prior art systems that perform these steps along a single production line are disclosed, for example in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publications Nos. 57-170409, 58-25014, 5-234659 and 6-260260. The connecting process for inserting the terminals of the wire-connected terminals into connector housings requires a long time as compared with the producing process for producing the wire-connected terminals. Accordingly, the production efficiency of wiring harnesses is disadvantageously restricted in the prior art systems where the producing process and the connecting process are performed on a single production line.
The prior art also includes wire harness producing systems in which the producing process and the connecting process are performed at separate lines. This prior art process includes a transfer step in which wires with terminals mounted thereto are gripped and transferred to hands or clamps of a terminal inserting unit.
An example of a prior art system that uses separate lines for the producing process and the connecting process is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-223646. This prior art system enables the mounting of special terminals to wires, such as the mounting of specially sized terminals or the connection of a plurality of wires with the same terminal. The prior art system shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-223646 requires two separate terminal mounting lines: one for mounting standardized terminals and the other for mounting special terminals. This prior art system then performs a transferring step in which the wire-connected terminals are temporarily placed on a stock carriage, and subsequently are manually transferred to an inserting station upstream of the terminal mounting line. FIGS. 7 and 13 of Japanese Unexamined Publication No. 6-223646 show the inserting station for performing the transferring step. As part of this transferring step, the opposite ends of the wires are manually placed on a wire setting table, gripped by a pair of hands or clamps, and forcibly inserted into teeth of a comb-like wire grip.
The above described prior art transferring step requires precise positioning of the terminal portions of the wire-connected terminals with respect to the hands or clamps in order to securely perform a succeeding step by the hands (e.g. a step of inserting the terminal portions of the wire-connected terminals into a connector). However, the wire setting table of the aforementioned prior art is mainly adapted to transfer the wires to the hands when the wires are forcibly inserted into the teeth of the comb-like wire grip and, therefore, cannot position the terminal portions. Further, it is a common practice to process a plurality of kinds of terminals at one production line in order to manufacture a wire assembly. Thus there is a desire to produce many kinds of wire-connected terminals in small quantity by easily changing the kind and the combination of kinds of wire-connected terminals partly locked during the transferring step.
Prior art wire harness producing systems in which the producing process and the connecting process are performed at separate lines, are not well suited to automation because it is difficult to transfer the terminals of the terminal-connected wires to the terminal inserting unit while manually positioning them. Therefore, it is necessary to make an undesirable compromise of manually inserting the terminals into the connector housing as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-223646.
In view of the above problems, an object of the invention is to provide a block and a retainer for wire and/or terminals, in particular wire-connected terminals, using the same and a wire connection process line using the same, which are capable of easily positioning the wire and/or terminals, in particular wire-connected terminals, to be retained and changing the kinds thereof.

Block and retainer for wire-connected terminals and wire connection process line using the same


Embodiments of the invention provide a backlight module and a display device. The backlight module comprises an outer frame and an optical component, wherein the outer frame includes a body portion and an extension portion connected with each other, the extension portion is positioned on one side of the body portion and has a first bent portion and a second bent portion integrally formed, the body portion has a central region and a periphery region surrounding the central region, the second bent portion is connected to the periphery region of the body portion through the first bent portion and extends to the central region of the body portion, such that a space for accommodating the optical component is enclosed by the first and second bent portions of the extension portion and the body portion.

A liquid crystal display is a currently prevalent flat panel display product, and a backlight module is one of key parts of the liquid crystal display. As liquid crystals per se emit no light, the backlight module is used for supplying a light source with sufficient brightness and uniform distribution, so that the liquid crystal display can show an image properly.


A multilayer electronic imaging module and sensor system incorporating a micro-lens layer for imaging and collimating a received image from a field of regard, a photocathode layer for detecting photons from the micro-lens layer and generating an electron output, a micro-channel plate layer for receiving the output electrons emitted from the photocathode in response to the photon input and amplifying same and stacked readout circuitry for processing the electron output of the micro-channel plate. The sensor system of the invention may be provided in the form of a Cassegrain telescope assembly and includes electromagnetic imaging and scanning means and beam-splitting means for directed predetermined ranges of the received image to one or more photo-detector elements which may be in the form of the micro-channel imaging module of the invention.

Focal plane array technology incorporating very small pixel detector sizes (i.e., less than about five microns) poses significant technical challenges. Challenges include those related to the integration of readout integrated circuits (ROIC) for use in mega-pixel sized arrays. Small pixel sizes and large focal plane arrays are difficult to realize from both the electronic and detector sensitivity aspects.
Certain classes of focal plane array detectors and photon detectors desirably separate the photon-electron conversion process from the electronic readout circuitry in such a way as to enable very small circuit geometries. This technology can provide low-cost, high performance, mega-pixel imagers for applications in security and law enforcement and is applicable to military uses in reconnaissance, space, weapons sights, multi-purpose imaging, missile threat warning, chemical and biological detection and the like.
The major technical challenges in the field of focal plane array technology are detector size, readout integrated circuit electronics size, detector materials, detector sensitivity/quantum efficiency, electronics noise, speed and dynamic range; all of which are optimized by the electronic module disclosed herein.
The disclosed invention mitigates the conflict between pixel size and available electronics real estate within the pixel boundaries by partitioning electronics into multiple layers in a three-dimensional stack of integrated circuit chips.

Sensor system comprising stacked micro-channel plate detector


An antithrombic medical material, having superposed on the surface of a substrate formed of a polymer material a polymerized protein substantially free at least from erythrocyte and leukocyte, a medical device using the same, and a method for production of the antithrombic medical material.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a novel biocompatible material, particularly an antithrombic medical material excellent in resistance to thrombus and in tissue-biocompatibility and therefore useful in artificial blood vessels, artificial internal organs, and catheters, to artificial internal organs and artificial blood vessels using the medical material, and to a method for the production thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of medical materials, numerous synthetic polymer materials such as polyesters, polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyurethane have found utility and have been producing numerous appreciable results. When they are used as medical materials such as, for example, artificial blood vessels which are destined to be exposed directly to blood, they cause coagulation of blood and induce thrombus. For the solution of this problem, various devices have been developed for the impartation of antithrombic quality to these polymer materials. For example, a method which comprises chemically binding such a natural anticoagulant substance as heparin to the surface of a given material (Japanese Patent Laid-Open SHO 51 (1976)-103,190) and a method which comprises endowing a given polymer substance with a synthetic radiolytically active compound as 1,2-diphenyl-3 or 5-dioxypyrazoline derivative (Japanese Patent Laid-Open SHO 52 (1977)-(142,772) have been known to the art. The heparin now in use has no perfect biocompatibility because it is an anticoagulant substance mainly obtained from the internal organs of swine or other similar animals other than human beings. Moreover, the process of binding the heparin to a polymeric carrier entails an unsettled problem that the heparin is divested of its activity when it is joined to the polymeric carrier by virtue of a covalent bond. Efforts have been made for the solution of this problem. For example, the observation of highly preferable antithrombic quality exhibited by a polymer made to incorporate therein heparin by ionic bonding and applied in the form of a coating on the surface of a given polymer material has been reported in literature (Shoji Nagaoka et al, "Artificial Internal Organs," Vol. 17 No. 2, pages 598-601, 1983) and the fact that a ternary block copolymer, polystyrene-PEO-heparin, incorporating therein heparin as one of the microdomains was synthesized and tested for antithrombic quality has been reported (Vulic, I. Transactions of 13th Annual Meeting of Society for Biomaterials, Page 81, 1987). For use as artificial blood vessels, these materials are still short of practical utility and none of them prove to be satisfactory. Urokinase, a thrombolytic enzyme, is extensively utilized clinically as a medicine for thrombosis. In the blood in circulation, however, the action of urokinase is suppressed because such plasmin inhibiting factors such as .alpha..sub.2 -plasmin inhibitor and .alpha..sub.2 -macroglubulin are abundantly contained in the blood. It is not recognized to produce the effect expectable from its in vitro activity. It is known that beside the method for conferring antithrombic quality on the polymer materials, a method for rendering the materials themselves unsusceptible to thrombosis has been studied on a series of segmented polyurethane systems. The method of study by molecular design has been tried on the basis of the conventional trial and error method. Concerning microdomain polymers, the research has been approaching the point of clearly establishing the relation between their phase separating property and antithrombic quality (Atsushi Miyahara et al. "Glossary of Abstracts of 18th Medical Polymer Symposium," page 21, 1987). A method using porous polyurethane resin as a material has been studied (Martz, H. et al. "Biomaterials," 8. 3, 1987). In this case, the material has not yet been fully developed to the extent of deserving practical utility because the material, on being transplanted, either fails to induce the covering of intima or induces it only very slowly (Koichi Tamura et al. "Artificial Internal Organs," 16, 1500, 1987).
Concerning these studies, reports purporting generally to express that artificial blood vessels made of such materials are able to inhibit initial thrombosis and produce satisfactory results for brief periods following their transplantation but, during a protracted use over a period exceeding one month, they are more often than not clogged and that the clogging is ascribable to imperfect covering of intima have been published one after another (Shinichi Sato et al. "Journal of Japan Surgical Society," pages 89-109, 1988; Yoshitatsu Kubo et al. "Angiology," 27, 8, pages 567-571, 1987; Norio Morimoto et al. "Artificial Internal Organs," 14, pages 941-944, 1985; and Zempei Sakai et al. "Artificial Internal Organs," 15, pages 367-370, 1986). The view that the efforts relying solely on synthetic polymer materials for simultaneous impartation of antithrombic quality and early covering of intima therapy have their limits has come to prevail. In the circumstances, methods for positively promoting the covering of intima as what may be called hybrid type artificial blood vessels, e.g. a method which comprises superposing a collagen layer on the surface of a macromolecular material (Japanese Patent Publication SHO 61(1986)-58,196) and a method which comprises cross-linking to natural blood vessels polyglycerol-polyglycidyl ether (PGPGE) containing epoxy groups as reactive groups in the side chain and at the terminal thereof, are now under study. They have much yet to be developed in the future.
The use of conventional organs formed solely of natural tissues has a problem of kinetic nature that they undergo cancerous ampliation after a protracted retention in the living body. It also has the possibility of retarding the covering of intima because the use of heparin curbs the growth of cells (Wolfgang Laukes et al. "Biochem. J.," 251, pages 831-842, 1983).
The present inventors, in view of this true state of affairs, have continued a diligent study in search of a material which is dispossessed of the drawbacks suffered by the conventional antithrombic macromolecular materials, possessed of outstanding antithrombic quality and biocompatibility, and excellent in physical strength. Specifically, they have prepared model animals having injured intima in their blood vessels and continued a deliberate observation on the model animals to find how the blood vessels recover from the injuries. They have consequently found the conditions which the artificial blood vessels ought to fulfill. This invention has been accomplished on the basis of this knowledge. This knowledge is that when the intima of a natural blood vessel sustains an injury, one layer of fibrin formed on the exposed internal elastic lamina inevitably undergoes thrombosis and, thereafter, the blood vessel is not clogged but is allowed to induce the covering of intima in a matter of only one week's time. On the basis of this knowledge, the inventors have noticed the fibrin temporarily formed on the internal elastic lamina after infliction of an injury on the intima as a material combining antithrombic quality with early healing. They have perfected this invention as the result.
An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a novel antithrombic medical material, an artificial internal organ, and a method for the production of a material for promoting antithrombic quality.

Antithrombic medical material, artificial internal organ, and method for production of antithrombic medical material


In a plug-in hybrid vehicle that includes an EHC, an ECU eliminates a sulfur poisoned state by supplying external electric power to the EHC when it is necessary to eliminate a state in which adhesion to a catalyst in the EHC degrades a function of the catalyst and external charging is being performed. On the other hand, when it is necessary to eliminate the sulfur poisoned state, the external charging is not being performed, and operation of an engine is permitted, the sulfur poisoned state is eliminated by operating the engine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle, and in particular to a vehicle that includes an electrically heated catalyst for purifying exhaust gas of an engine.
2. Description of Related Art
A vehicle has been known that includes an electrically heated catalyst (hereinafter also referred to as an "EHC") for purifying exhaust gas of an engine. The EHC contains a catalyst and an electric heater for heating the catalyst. It has been known that, performance of the catalyst is degraded when a sulfur content that is contained in the exhaust gas of the engine adheres to the catalyst. A state in which adhesion of the sulfur content causes the reduced performance of the catalyst is referred to as a "sulfur poisoned state". Once the catalyst is brought into the sulfur poisoned state, purifying performance of the catalyst is degraded, and emissions may consequently be deteriorated. Accordingly, it is desired to eliminate the sulfur poisoned state.
If a temperature of the catalyst is a specified temperature (500° C., for example) or higher, and if a sufficient amount of oxygen (an oxidant) is available, the sulfur content, which is adhered to the catalyst, is oxidized and desorbed from the catalyst. Consequently, the sulfur poisoned state is eliminated.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-57576 (JP 2012-57576 A) discloses a technique in which the sulfur poisoned state is efficiently eliminated by supplying electricity to the EHC to increase the temperature of the catalyst and by operating the engine in such a manner that air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas of the engine becomes leaner (contains more oxygen) than theoretical air-fuel ratio when the catalyst is brought into the sulfur poisoned state.
In recent years, attentions have been paid to a hybrid vehicle in which a built-on battery can be charged by external electric power from an external electric power source (hereinafter referred to as a "plug-in hybrid vehicle"). In the plug-in hybrid vehicle, fuel economy is improved by preferentially consuming the electric power stored in a battery over engine fuel until a remaining capacity of the battery becomes lower than a lower limit (that is, the electric power stored in the battery is used up). Accordingly, opportunities to operate the engine may be much less for the plug-in hybrid than for a normal hybrid vehicle or a vehicle driven by an engine.
As described above, JP 2012-57576 A discloses the technique to efficiently eliminate the sulfur poisoned state of the catalyst by concurrently using electric power supply to the EHC and the exhaust gas of the engine.


A computer enclosure includes a rear panel (20) and a fastener (40) detachably and rotatably mounted to the rear panel. The rear panel defines a plurality of parallel slots (23) for receiving expansion cards (80). A pair of limbs (25) is formed on the rear panel for locking the fastener in place. The rear panel forms semi-circular pivots (21) to which the fastener is pivotally attached. The fastener is thus rotatably movable between a first position and a second position during assembly. When located at the first position, the fastener does not engage with the covers, thereby allowing the expansion card covers to be attached to or detached from the rear panel. When located at the second position, the fastener is secured to the rear panel by the limbs, and engages with the covers.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer enclosure, and particularly to a computer enclosure incorporating a pivotable fastener for facilitating attachment of expansion cards to the computer enclosure.
2. The Related Art
A common computer comprises a plurality of expansion slots in a mother board thereof, for receiving expansion cards to expand the functions thereof. Accordingly, such computer enclosure requires a plurality of slots for providing access to the expansion cards. Conventionally, expansion cards are secured in a computer enclosure one by one, using bolts. This procedure is complicated and time-consuming.
To solve the above problem, referring to FIG. 8, Taiwan Patent Application No. 88201721 discloses a computer enclosure 100 including a rear panel 102 and a fixing cover 104 attached to the rear panel 102. The fixing cover 104 secures the expansion cards 106 to the rear panel 102 all together. However, the fixing cover 104 is secured to the rear panel 102 by bolts 108. This assembly procedure is still complicated and time-consuming.
It is desired to attach expansion cards to a computer enclosure without bolts.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a computer enclosure having a fastener which facilitates attaching expansion cards to the computer enclosure.
To achieve the above-mentioned object, a computer enclosure in accordance with the present invention comprises a rear panel and a fastener detachably rotatable with respect to the rear panel. The rear panel defines a plurality of parallel slots for receiving the expansion cards. A pair of limbs is formed on the rear panel for locking the fastener in place. The rear panel forms semi-circular pivots to which the fastener is pivotally attached. The fastener is thus rotatably movable between a first position and a second position during assembly. In assembly, each expansion card is attached to its corresponding cover by conventional means. When located at the first position, the fastener does not engage with the covers. This allows the covers to be attached to or detached from the rear panel. When located at the second position, the fastener is secured to the rear panel by the limbs, and engages with the covers. The fastener thereby securely attaches the covers to the rear panel.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Computer enclosure incorporating fastener


In a vehicular drive system for a hybrid vehicle, in which driving forces of an engine and a motor are transmitted through a power transmission mechanism to driven wheels, a common oil stored in a transmission case and a motor case is used for lubricating the power transmission mechanism and the motor. During travel by using an engine, when a synchromesh mechanism operated by a shift fork isolates the motor from the power transmission mechanism, an oil return hole blocking rod, provided in the shift fork, blocks an oil return hole providing communication between the motor case and the transmission case, thereby preventing oil in the motor case from flowing into the transmission case, to lower oil level in the transmission case. Thus, during travel of the hybrid vehicle, driving force loss due to motor drag resistance and oil stirring resistance is minimized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vehicular drive system in which a motor and a power transmission mechanism are connected via motor isolation means, and the driving force of the motor is transmitted to driven wheels via the power transmission mechanism, the power transmission mechanism and the motor being lubricated with a common oil.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a drive system for an electric motor vehicle described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 9-226394, a motor chamber housing a motor and a gear chamber housing a gear section for transmitting the driving force of the motor to driven wheels are separated by a partition wall, which has an orifice providing communication between the gear chamber and the motor chamber. When the motor is running, oil splashed by a rotating gear within the gear chamber is supplied to the motor chamber, thus lowering the oil level in the gear chamber to reduce the oil stirring resistance to the gear.
In a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor as drive sources for travel, if the motor is connected to a transmission when the vehicle travels at high speed using the driving force of the engine, there is the problem that the motor is dragged by the driving force of the engine, thus generating a frictional loss. Furthermore, since the oil retained within the transmission is stirred by a rotating gear when the vehicle is traveling, there is the problem that the stirring resistance causes an engine driving force loss which is particularly large when the engine is running at high speed.


The current invention relates a bulk catalyst precursor (i.e. no support material is added as such) comprising Ni and Mo and/or W and an organic component, wherein the molar ratio of C:(Mo+W) ranges from 1.5 to 10. The bulk catalyst precursor is prepared from a mixture of metal-precursors with an organic agent. The organic agent is partly decomposed to form a mixed metal-oxide/C phase which is in effect the bulk catalyst precursor. This bulk catalyst precursor (i) is effectively insoluble in water (ii) does not have any appreciable pore volume or surface area and (iii) does not contain a (nano)crystalline metal-oxide phase as characterized by XRD. A bulk catalyst is made from the bulk catalyst precursor.

The hydroprocessing of hydrocarbon feedstocks generally encompasses all processes in which a hydrocarbon feedstock is reacted with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst and under hydroprocessing conditions, typically, at elevated temperature and elevated pressure. The term hydroprocessing includes, but is not limited to, processes such as hydrogenation, hydrodesulfurization, hydrodenitrogenation, hydrodemetallization, hydrodearomatization, hydrodeoxygenation, hydroisomerization, hydrodewaxing, hydrocracking and mild hydrocracking.
In general, conventional hydroprocessing catalysts are composed of a carrier (or support) with a Group VIB metal component and a Group VIII non-noble metal component deposited thereon. Such catalysts may be prepared by impregnating a carrier with aqueous solutions of compounds of the desired metals, followed by one or more drying and/or calcination steps.
Alternative techniques for the preparation of the "supported" catalysts are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,605—where inter alia nickel carbonate is reacted with MoO3 to form crystalline nickel molybdate, which is subsequently mixed and extruded with alumina—and in German Patent No. DE 3029266, where nickel carbonate is mixed with WO3 and the resulting composition is mixed with alumina impregnated with compounds such as nickel nitrate and ammonium tungstate.
A significant amount of attention has recently been directed to the provision of catalysts, which can be applied without a carrier, generally referred to as bulk catalysts. WO 99/03578 describes a method for the preparation of bulk hydroprocessing catalysts compositions comprising bulk metal oxide particles having one Group VIII non-noble metal and two Group VIB metals by reacting and co-precipitating nickel, molybdenum, and tungsten compounds in the absence of sulfides.
WO 00/41810 describes a method for the preparation of a hydroprocessing catalyst comprising bulk metal oxide particles wherein one or more Group VIII non-noble metal and two or more Group VIB metals are reacted in a protic liquid, wherein the metal compounds are at least partly in the solid state during the reaction and where eventually a solid comprising a (nano)crystalline mixed metal oxide phase characterized by a specific XRD pattern is obtained. It also discloses producing the hydroprocessing catalyst in a convenient form for use in a hydroprocessing process by shaping, for example by extrusion, and by compositing the obtained bulk metal oxide particles with small quantities of further materials, for example binder material, to facilitate shaping and to provide mechanical strength to a shaped catalyst.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,951,746 patent describes a method of preparation of an amorphous bulk catalyst precursor and eventual catalyst comprising (i) cobalt and molybdenum or tungsten (ii) an amorphous precursor (iii) having 20-60 wt % of a carbon containing compound based on an organic complexing acid and (iv) having a surface area of 16 m2/g or less.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,296 claims a process for preparing a catalyst composition by combining a group VIII non-noble metal component and a least two group VIB metal components and an organic additive at any stage in the preparation. The molar ratio of the organic additive to the total amount of group VIII and group VIB components is at least 0.01. Examples describe the preparation of a NiMoW oxidic catalyst with di-ethyleneglycol added during the shaping of the catalyst or by post-impregnation. Again, a solid catalyst is obtained comprising a (nano)crystalline mixed metal oxide phase as characterized by the presence of specific peaks in its XRD pattern.
Although the bulk catalyst compositions described above have an excellent hydroprocessing activity, there exists a continuous need in the art to develop novel bulk catalyst compositions with further improved hydroprocessing activity, in particular, in hydrodesulfurisation (HDS), as well as hydrodenitrogenation (HDN), and hydrogenation of particular target hydrocarbon feedstocks, such as diesel and vacuum gas oil (VGO).

Nickel containing mixed metal-oxide/carbon bulk hydroprocessing catalysts and their applications


The image manipulation unit (17) corrects the tilt and color shade of the paper-piece image data obtained by the optical sensor unit (13). The template comparison unit (18) makes the for-comparison banknote image data of each denomination from the paper-piece image data made by the image manipulation unit (17) and the reference data of each denomination stored in the reference data unit (19). And the process of pattern matching of the for-comparison banknote image data with the template with the corresponding denomination stored in the template unit (20) is performed for all denominations, and the denomination with the closest distance between patterns is discriminated as the denomination of the piece of paper. The result of the discrimination is stored in the memory unit (21).

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper-piece discrimination device of a paper processor, particularly relates to the device and the method for paper-piece discrimination, which discriminate the denomination of a part of a banknote (a piece of paper) with more than half part missing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Paper processors, which receive money, such as ATM (Automatic Teller's Machine), keep paper in the machine and carry out the transaction of deposit and payment following the command input of the customer. Inside of these paper processors conducted is the discrimination process of the type (such as denominations) of the deposited and paid paper (such as banknotes).
This discrimination process is generally carried out by the following manner. The machine divides the paper into a plurality of minute domains, and measures the shape and shade of each minute domain by optical censors and thickness censors. Then, the measured value is converted to gradation value by quantifying process and stored in the machine. A certain level of image manipulation (such as the tilt correction and the color shade correction processing) is applied to the image data that consists of the obtained gradation value. The image data obtained from the above manipulation allows the discrimination of the types (denominations) of the paper (banknotes) by being compared with the template (the image data made from a genuine banknote).
However, the existing paper processors discriminate only banknotes with a normal shape and size, and reject the abnormal-shaped banknotes judging them as discrimination error. This is because the existing paper processors discriminate the type of paper by the pattern matching of image data of the whole paper with the template. Such existing paper processors, as a matter of course, were not able to identify the denominations of a part of banknote that is ripped and missing more than half banknote due to the lack of minute domains that are to be compared with the template.
However, in recent years as the use of paper processors for 24-hour operation or in unattended stores has become popularized, it has become desirable to accurately fix the balance of banknotes in the banknote storage of paper processors. In the paper processors, deposited banknotes and banknotes taken out of banknote storage for withdrawal are sometimes ripped while they are carried to the discrimination section of the machine. In such case, for the owners of the paper processors, there is a large difference between rejection with the identification of denominations and rejection without the identification of denominations of the banknote, and the rejection with the identification of denomination is more preferable. However, the discrimination section of the existing paper processors rejects the ripped banknotes without identifying their type (the denomination).
It is the object of the present invention to provide the paper-piece discrimination device and the method of paper-piece discrimination that securely identify the denomination of a part of a banknote, or a piece of paper, with more than a half of the banknote part missing.

Device, method and program for paper discrimination


A method of compensating a gyro sensor of a robot cleaner is provided. The method includes changing to a compensation mode if a robot cleaner travels greater than a compensation reference, and compensating an output value of the gyro sensor by use of an upper camera.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robot vacuum cleaner which autonomously travels, more particularly, to a method for compensating gyro sensor for robot cleaner which detects a rotation angle by using a gyro sensor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a robot cleaner travels along the outline of cleaning area enclosed with walls or obstacles by using a ultrasonic sensor of a cleaner body to determine a cleaning area or recognize a cleaning area by information input from a user. Then, the robot cleaner plans a traveling path which can efficiently clean the recognized cleaning-area. Finally, the robot cleaner controls a driving part to follow the planned traveling-path, and operates a dust-suction part to perform cleaning.
In order to travel along the planned traveling-path, a robot cleaner calculates a present position by use of an absolute coordinate or a relative coordinate which uses a traveling distance from a reference point of cleaning area and a rotation angle.
As an example of method for traveling by use of an absolute coordinate, a robot cleaner calculates the present position by use of a ceiling image photographed by a CCD camera. In specific, a robot cleaner detects installations such as a lamp, a fluorescent lamp at ceiling from the photographed ceiling image or position recognition marks for a separate position recognition to detect the present position of the robot cleaner, and travels based on the present position. However, the traveling method using CCD camera requires high efficient system and heavy expense for constructions because lots of images should be quickly processed.
A robot cleaner traveling by use of the relative coordinate comprises a traveling distance detection sensor for detecting a traveling distance and an angle sensor for detecting a rotation angle of a robot cleaner. In general, an encoder which can detect a rotation number of traveling wheel is widely used for the traveling distance detection sensor, and a gyro sensor which can detect a relative angle is widely used for the angle sensor. If the gyro sensor is applied, a robot cleaner can turn as desired angles during straight traveling, and therefore, the traveling direction of the robot cleaner can be easily controlled. The gyro sensor, however, has an error of approximate 5˜10% of measured angles. The error is occurred due to a constant error based on integral calculus of gyro sensor and a change of scale factor depending on change of inner variables such as temperature and humidity. In specific, if a rotation of robot cleaner gets greater and the accumulated rotation-angle is great, the error is also accumulated such that a robot cleaner can not follow planned traveling-path. As such, some area is not cleaned enough when a robot cleaner completes traveling along the planned traveling-path.

Method compensating gyro sensor for robot cleaner


A microphone array comprises a circuit board, a first microphone, and a second microphone. The circuit board comprises a first layer, a third layer, and a second layer sandwiched between the first and third layers. The first layer comprises a first shielding part with a fixed electric potential. The third layer comprises a second shielding part with the fixed electric potential. The second layer comprises an electrically conductive part running between the first and second shielding parts. The first microphone is attached to the first layer of the circuit board. The second microphone is attached to the first layer of the circuit board and electrically connected to the first microphone through the electrically conductive part of the second layer of the circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a microphone array with electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional single microphone 100 used in various voice communication devices. The microphone 100 comprises an electret sensor 120 and an integrated circuit (e.g. J-channel field effect transistor, J-FET) 140 mounted in a housing 110. The electret sensor 120 comprises a diaphragm 121 and a back plate 122 both of which are permanently electrically charged to implement a capacitor. Incoming sound waves enter via a top opening 112 and are translated into mechanical vibrations upon contacting the diaphragm 121. The vibrations are converted into an electrical signal that varies in voltage amplitude and frequency corresponding to the original sound. The integrated circuit 140 receives and amplifies the electrical signal and provides an output signal. The integrated circuit 140 is mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) 130 and is further coupled to external circuitry via openings 114 formed at the bottom of the housing 110. The housing 110 is made of metal serving as an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding means for protecting the integrated circuit 140 from EMI.
The described EMI shielding means, however, fails to provide full protection for a microphone array, which typically comprises at least two microphones mounted on a circuit board. External electromagnetic waves may penetrate through the circuit board affecting the integrated circuit therein.

Microphone array with electromagnetic interference shielding means


A printhead tolerant of switching noise that occurs when concurrently driving plural printing elements, a head cartridge using the printhead, and a printing apparatus can be provided. The printhead includes plural printing elements and plural driving elements for driving the plural printing elements, and prints using these printing elements. The printhead also includes a shift register which receives print data in synchronism with a clock signal, and a latch circuit which latches the print data input to the shift register in synchronism with a latch signal. The printhead further includes a restriction circuit which restricts input of the print data and clock signal to the shift register and input of the latch signal to the latch circuit in synchronism with input of an enable signal for driving the plural driving elements.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printhead, head cartridge, and printing apparatus. Particularly, the present invention relates to an inkjet printhead having many printing elements, a head cartridge, and a printing apparatus using any of them.
2. Description of the Related Art
A printhead with an array or arrays of printing elements has conventionally been known. On a printhead of this type, several or several tens of driving integrated circuits capable of concurrently driving N printing elements as one block are formed on the same substrate. Print data are aligned and input in correspondence with the respective printing elements, and can be printed on a print medium such as print paper. Printing apparatuses with printheads of this type can print at high densities and high speeds, and thus are widely used as printers in today's business offices, for other paperwork tasks, and for personal use. Even now, printing apparatuses are developed and improved for further cost reduction, higher resolution, and the like.
A printhead mounted in the inkjet printing apparatus (to be referred to as a printing apparatus hereinafter) is configured by arraying, as printing elements, electrothermal transducers (to be also called heaters hereinafter) for generating discharge energy necessary to discharge ink from nozzles. As a known method for this printhead, printing elements are divided into a plurality of blocks, and the blocks are temporarily driven sequentially or distributedly because large power is necessary to drive printing elements.
Especially for a printing element which prints by discharging ink using heat, if one printing element is continuously driven, heat is accumulated, and the print density may change. The printing element is also influenced by heat of an adjacent printing element. If the printing apparatus concurrently drives adjacent printing elements, nozzles are interfered with mutual pressures generated in ink discharge. The pressure interference (crosstalk) may change the print density. Hence, an idle time for dissipating heat or avoiding crosstalk is desirably set after driving the printing element.
To solve this problem, there is known distributed driving of distributedly driving printing elements to be concurrently driven in the array direction of the printing elements. According to this driving method, adjacent printing elements are not concurrently driven. By setting an idle time, the influence of an adjacent printing element can be eliminated.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the arrangement of a printhead which performs time-divisional driving.
In a specific example shown in FIG. 7, an enable signal which is input from a terminal 5a to enable driving a printing element is commonly supplied to all printing elements 1. In FIG. 7, reference numeral 3a denotes a terminal to apply a power supply voltage VH to the printing element as a voltage for driving a heater; and 4a, a ground (GND) terminal.
In a conventional printhead shown in FIG. 7, print data and a clock signal are respectively input from terminals 8a and 8b, and the print data is stored in a shift register 8. A latch signal is input from a terminal 7a, and the print data is latched by a latch circuit 7. By aligning print data in correspondence with printing elements, the printing elements of each block can be energized in accordance with the print data for the period of the latch signal.
Further in this arrangement, a block control signal is input from a terminal 6a and supplied to a decoder circuit 6. The decoder circuit 6 generates a block selection signal for selecting a block of four printing elements on the basis of the input block control signal. An AND circuit 5 receives the print signal from the latch circuit 7, the block selection signal from the decoder circuit 6, and the enable signal. When the logical value of these signals is "1", the AND circuit 5 outputs a driving signal to a driver (transistor) 2, driving a corresponding printing element.
Time-divisional driving can be achieved by sequentially activating a block selection signal and supplying an enable signal from the terminal 5a in correspondence with each block within the period of each latch signal.
The printhead is configured to deal with various kinds of driving control by shortening the rise/fall time of a driving signal pulse so as to realize high-resolution control within the period of a latch signal.
This technique is disclosed in, e.g., the U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,714.
However, when the conventional printhead is to achieve high print speed, high-resolution color printing, and downsizing, the arrangeable wiring width on the printhead substrate becomes narrow, and the number of concurrently driven printing elements increases. Due to these factors, the print current flowing into the wiring causes the following problem.
This problem is a malfunction of a driving control circuit by switching noise occurred due to a great change of an electric current flowing into a wiring when a pulse-like driving signal rises and falls in concurrent driving. Since the driving signal is controlled temporarily at high resolution, as described above, a driver incorporated in the printhead must be turned on/off quickly. Assuming that the rise/fall time t of the driver is 100 nsec, the self-inductance L of the wiring is 100 nH, and the current I flowing at this time is 1 A, an induced voltage V generated at this time is given byV=L·dI/dt=100×10−9×1/100×10−9=1 V
From this, the induced voltage as high as 1 V is generated as noise.
This noise level greatly affects a logic gate circuit formed from a CMOS, TTL, or the like. Especially for a CMOS circuit whose logic voltage is 3.3 V or less, this induced voltage value almost reaches the threshold level. The switching noise may cause a fatal influence on the printhead operation on a head substrate prepared by integrating, on the same substrate, a printing element driver for switching a large current, and a logic gate circuit formed from a CMOS, TTL, or the like.
The print speed and print resolution are increased by increasing the number of printing elements of the printhead. As the number of printing elements increases, the number of time-divisionally driven blocks and the number of concurrently drivable printing elements may also increase. However, in view of increasing the print speed, the increase of the number of blocks is restricted. This naturally leads to increasing the number of concurrently drivable printing elements. This means that the instantaneous change of the current value becomes large and the noise level becomes high.
The problem of switching noise has conventionally been known, and several countermeasures against this problem have been proposed.
For example, input of a driving signal pulse to printing elements to be concurrently driven is delayed stepwise. According to this method, considering the level and occurrence time of switching noise, delay elements are properly inserted into driving signal lines to delay stepwise, by more than the occurrence time, a timing when the driving signal pulse is applied. This method can suppress occurrence of switching noise. However, according to this method, if the number of concurrently driven printing elements increases, the total delay time becomes long. This results in causing restriction on assigning the driving signal pulse width permissible time during which all printing elements are driven within the printhead printing period (i.e., time for giving a chance to drive all printing elements).
As another method, the rise time of the driving signal pulse and the instantaneous current value are specified, and wiring lines and terminals are dielectrically isolated to adjust the print current to the specified value or less. Even according to this method, the increase in print current by the increase in the number of concurrently driven printing elements cannot be satisfactorily coped with by the dielectric isolation of wiring lines and terminals.

Printhead, head cartridge, and printing apparatus using restriction circuit for restricting input of signals


A method of making a single crystal GaN boule, comprising contacting a GaN seed wafer with a GaN source environment under process conditions including a thermal gradient in the GaN source environment producing growth of gallium nitride on the GaN seed wafer, thereby forming the GaN boule. The GaN source environment in various implementations includes gallium melt in an ambient atmosphere of nitrogen or ammonia, or alternatively, supercritical ammonia containing solubilized GaN. The method produces single crystal GaN boules >10 millimeters in diameter, of device quality suitable for production of GaN wafers useful in the fabrication of microelectronic, optoelectronic and microelectromechanical devices and device precursor structures therefor.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to GaN boule growth from a liquid melt using a GaN seed wafer, to produce a GaN boule yielding wafers suitable for fabrication of microelectronic and optoelectronic devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
GaN is a promising wide bandgap semiconductor material for optoelectronics and power electronics. Realization of its full potential is however limited by a lack of suitable bulk GaN substrates. Because GaN has a high melting temperature and a very high decomposition pressure at the melting point, bulk crystals of nitrides cannot be grown with conventional methods such as Czochralski or Bridgmen growth from stoichiometric melts.
Porowski et al disclosed a method of growing bulk GaN at high nitrogen pressure (S. Porowski and I. Grzegory, J. Cryst. Growth, Vol 178, 174 (1997)). Metallic gallium reacted with gaseous nitrogen to form gallium nitride crystals at the surface of the gallium melt. A temperature gradient was provided in the reactor vessel, resulting in supersaturation of nitrogen atoms in the cooler region of the reactor and growth of gallium nitride crystals. Small crystals of GaN were grown at a nitrogen pressure as high as 20000 atmospheric pressure and a temperature as high as 2000 K. However, the growth rate was small and long growth time of 60–150 hours was needed in order to grow crystal platelets of 6–10 mm in length and ˜0.1 mm in thickness. The small size of the crystal grown by this technique is not suitable as substrates for electronic and optoelectronic applications.
Inoue et al disclosed another method of growing bulk GaN at high nitrogen pressure and at high temperatures (Inoue et al, J. Cryst. Growth, Vol. 229, 35 (2001), and Phys. Stat. Sol. (a) Vol. 180, 51 (2000)). The difference between Inoue's technique and Porowski's technique is that Inoue uses nitrogen over-pressure to produce supersaturation of nitrogen in the gallium melt and formation of gallium nitride crystals in the gallium melt. Similar to Porowski's technique, Inoue's technique produces small GaN crystal platelets (<10 mm in length), and not suitable as substrate for commercial device applications. Furthermore, the high temperature and high pressure needed for the crystal growth provide additional challenges to scale up the size of the crystal with these techniques.
Single crystal GaN can also be grown with a so-called sodium flux method (see, for example, Aoki et al, J. Cryst. Growth, Vol. 218, 7 (2000) and DiSalvo et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,837). DiSalvo et al disclosed a method of synthesis GaN by thermally decomposing sodium azide in a closed reactor zone (autoclave) containing metallic gallium. The autoclave was heated to 600–800C., where sodium azide decomposed to gaseous nitrogen that pressurized the system. However, the crystal size was small, in the millimeter range, even for growth of several days. Aoki et al disclosed a similar method of synthesizing GaN by reacting gaseous nitrogen with a metallic mixture of gallium and sodium at moderate temperature and pressure. At a growth temperature of 750C., a growth pressure of about 50 atmospheric pressure, and sodium molar ratio of 0.6, GaN crystal platelets of size in millimeter ranges were produced after 200 hours of growth. The small crystal size and slow grow rate limit the application of this growth technique.
Ketchum et al disclosed a method of growing gallium nitride crystals in supercritical ammonia using GaN powder as feedstock (D. R. Ketchum, J. W. Kolis, J. Crsyt. Growth, Vol 222, 431 (2001)). The feedstock was transported to form single crystals through the use of mineralizer. However, largest crystal obtained was only about 0.5 mm, which is not suitable as substrates for electronic and optoelectronic devices.
GaN substrates based on hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) are currently being developed, but such substrates suffer from various process-related deficiencies that have hindered their development and commercial availability. HVPE is a vapor phase growth process. Vapor phase growth is not an equilibrium growth technique and typically generates a significant level of defects, but has the advantage that the process is able to be carried out at relatively low temperature levels (e.g., ˜1000° C.).
The art is in need of improved low-cost processing techniques capable of forming large size wafers of GaN suitable for fabrication of optoelectronic and microelectronic devices.
Such large size wafers in turn require correspondingly sized boules, i.e., bulk masses of GaN from which multiple wafers can be derived, as for example by cutting with wire saws, blade saws, laser cutters, cleaving, etc.
Unfortunately, GaN boules cannot be grown with conventional boule growth methods utilized for forming single crystal wafer source bodies of materials such as silicon, because GaN decomposes before melting and a very high equilibrium pressure is necessary for GaN formation from Ga melt at the growth temperature. At the moderate pressures desired for commercial boule growth, the prior art has failed to provide a commercially viable method for forming large diameter (>10 mm diameter) single crystal boules of GaN.

GaN boule grown from liquid melt using GaN seed wafers


A mounting system for a display includes support structure to support a display and viewing window in spaced apart relation, and a flexible attachment sealing the space between the window and display and adapted to hold the window to the support structure. A display system includes such mounting system. The flexible attachment includes a first annular ring of double sided adhesive tape adapted to attach to a window, a second annular ring of double sided adhesive tape adapted to attach to both a retainer and a display, and an interface of non-adhesive material between and adhesively adhered to both annular rings of double sided adhesive tape. A method of assembling a display system includes placing a display in a support housing, pressing the dust sealing tape against the display, and applying a protective window over the display and pressing it against the dust sealing tape.

Various techniques have been used to mount displays in support or retention structures, for example, in the housing or case of a portable communication device. Sometimes a window is located in spaced apart protective relation to the viewing surface of a display so that the viewing surface can be viewed through the window. Foam gaskets, for example, made of polyurethane foam (sometimes referred to as PU foam) or made of other foam materials, have been placed between the window and display to block dust from the space. For example, the dust may interfere with a clear view of the display surface.
One problem with using foam gaskets is that they add a force on the window from the inside, i.e., from the display side, tending to push the window away from the display and the support structure. When the window or the device in which the window is mounted is exposed to heat and/or moisture, such pushing force may cause the window to fall off the device. Another problem with such foam gaskets is that they are relatively thick and their functional working span (tolerance) may be smaller than the tolerance between the window and the display in relatively thin devices, e.g., in relatively thin "stackups" desired for thin devices, e.g., relatively thin portable communication devices, in which the window and display are used. In such circumstances a foam gasket may not work adequately to provide desired dust sealing.

Dust sealing tape and display using same and method of sealing


Tour guide contents utilized by a user at a travel destination consist of guide information including POI information, map data and the like, and user information including memoranda written by the user. The user can access a contents server from a user terminal, and is able to customize at the contents server the tour guide contents to be utilized at a travel destination. Customized tour guide contents are stored into a memory medium at a business terminal, and the memory medium is installed in an electronic guide apparatus, such as at an airport counter. The user receives the electronic guide apparatus and a GPS on a rental basis at the airport counter, and takes them to the travel destination. Then, the user is able to utilize the tour guide contents customized for the user at the travel destination.

The present invention relates to a tour assisting program, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, an information processing program, and a storage medium on which the information processing program is recorded, and, in particular, relates to an electronic guide system or apparatus which can customize on a server, beforehand, contents such as tour guide contents stored in the electronic guide apparatus used by a user while traveling.
When making preparations for travel or a tour, it is usual to buy a plurality of tour guidebooks, destination maps, and a collection of conversations in the local language (in case of an overseas tour) and the like, and tour plans are made accordingly. Planning items are sightseeing places, shopping places, restaurants for dining, hotels for stay, and transportation among these destinations. This information is kept in a tour guidebook by writing memos, and folding down corners of particular pages of the guidebook containing key information. Recently, however, it has become popular to collect tour information through an electronic tour guidebook and the Internet.
At the travel destination, while carrying a host of tour guidebooks and maps, the traveler enjoys sightseeing tours, scenery, architecture, and food according to the tour plan made beforehand. Further, depending on the local circumstances, the traveler may visit places not listed in the tour plan and carry out a tour in a manner not originally planned. As a result, the tour plan is changed with reference to the tour guidebook, and other related items. During the tour, it is common to make a record by taking photos and writing down a tour diary. After the tour, it is also common to create an album of memories by arranging the visited places and the routes thereto, the photos, the memoranda, and the tour diary. Further, detailed information on the visited places might be reported in a travel magazine or the like.
Nevertheless, a conventional tour entails the following problems. In making up a tour plan, it is necessary to purchase a plurality of tour guidebooks, maps, and other necessary items and compare them with one another, thus calling for considerable work. Moreover, at the destination, the traveler has to carry heavy guidebooks containing much information having no bearing on his/her interest, as well as bulky maps, making a tour of the destination while flipping through these materials.
It is time consuming to arrange a huge amount of photos based on date and place after the tour has been completed. Further, if a detailed tour diary was not recorded, the date and the route taken to visit a sightseeing place is often forgotten. For these reasons, it is very difficult to obtain the maximum benefit from the tour in the conventional way. Further, there is no system able to assist in the three stages of the tour (offer of information, guide assistance at the travel destination, arrangement of a tour record after the tour, and the like).
In light of these circumstances, the present invention meets a need to provide an information processing apparatus which can help the traveler to enhance the value of a tour.

Electronic guide system, contents server for electronic guide system, portable electronic guide device, and information processing method for electronic guide system