A NOx occlusion and reduction catalyst 7 is arranged in an exhaust path 2 of an engine 1 to purify NOx in the exhaust gas. An electronic control unit (ECU) 30 of the engine operates the engine in an operating mode in which the exhaust gas increases in temperature with the air-fuel ratio thereof kept rich each time a predetermined amount of SOx is occluded in the catalyst 7, and executes the SOx poisoning restoration process for releasing SOx from the catalyst 7. The ECU controls the engine air-fuel ratio in such a manner that the H2 concentration in the exhaust gas detected by the H2 sensor arranged in the exhaust path upstream of the catalyst 7 is in a predetermined range. As a result, an appropriate amount of hydrogen is supplied to the catalyst 7 during the SOx poisoning restoration process. Thus, an appropriate amount of hydrogen is supplied to the catalyst 7 during the SOx poisoning restoration process, so that the H2S generation is suppressed while at the same time executing the SOx poisoning restoration process efficiently.

In a known exhaust gas purification apparatus for the internal combustion engine using a NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst, the NOX component in the exhaust gas is occluded (the word "occlusion" is used herein as a concept including both "absorption" and "adsorption") when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the catalyst is lean, and the occluded NOX is reduced and purified using the reduction component in the exhaust gas when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the catalyst becomes a stoichiometric or rich air-fuel ratio.
In the presence of SOX (sulfur oxide) in the exhaust gas, the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst is known to occlude SOX in exactly the same manner as NOX in the case where the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is lean.
The SOX has a high affinity with the occluded NOX component and generates a very stable compound. Once SOX is occluded in the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst, therefore, the occluded SOX is not substantially released from the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst simply by setting the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas to a rich air-fuel ratio and, thus, SOX is accumulated gradually in the catalyst.
In other words, in the normal process for occlusion and purification by reduction of NOX, the SOX occluded in the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst is substantially not released. With an increase in the amount of SOX occluded, therefore, the NOX occlusion capacity (the maximum NOX amount that can be occluded by the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst) of the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst decreases in accordance with the SOX amount occluded. With the increase in the amount of SOX occluded by the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst, therefore, the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst can no longer sufficiently occlude the NOX contained in the exhaust gas, and a so-called sulfur poisoning phenomenon (SOX poisoning) occurs in which the NOX purification rate is remarkably reduced.
In order to prevent the SOX poisoning of the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst, a poisoning restoration process is required in which the occluded SOX is released from the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst and the amount of the occluded SOX is reduced.
As described above, however, SOX occluded in the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst forms a compound far more stable than NOX and cannot, substantially, be released from the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst and, therefore, SOX cannot be sufficiently released from the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst simply by setting the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst to a rich air-fuel ratio.
Normally, therefore, the poisoning restoration process is executed in such a manner that the exhaust gas is set to a rich air-fuel ratio while at the same time maintaining the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst in a high-temperature range.
As described above, however, SOX is difficult to release from the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst, and cannot be released sufficiently from the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst within a short time even by the poisoning restoration process for holding the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst in a high-temperature environment with a rich air-fuel ratio. A protracted execution of the poisoning restoration process, on the other hand, poses the problem that the increased length of time during which the catalyst is exposed to the high temperature is liable to cause thermal deterioration of the catalyst.
On the other hand, it is known that, in the case where hydrogen is contained in the exhaust gas flowing into the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst during the poisoning restoration process, the rate at which SOX is released from the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst increases and the poisoning restoration process can be efficiently completed within a comparatively short time.
Normally, the method of supplying hydrogen to the exhaust gas, in addition to the method of supplying hydrogen stored in an external container to the exhaust gas, includes a method in which hydrogen is generated from HC, CO or H2O contained in the exhaust gas by the water-gas-shift reaction.
In the case where the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas of the engine becomes rich, for example, the water-gas-shift reaction (CO+H2O→CO2+H2) or steam reforming (HC+H2O→CO2+H2) occurs and hydrogen is generated from HC, CO or H2O generated at the time of combustion. These reactions are further promoted by a three-way catalyst or the like. In the ordinary internal combustion engine having a three-way catalyst as a start catalyst in the exhaust path upstream of the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst, for example, a comparatively large amount of hydrogen is generated in the exhaust gas once the exhaust gas air-fuel ratio becomes rich at the time of the poisoning restoration process or the reduction of NOX occluded in the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst.
Apart from the three-way catalyst, it is possible to generate hydrogen at the time of engine operation with a rich air-fuel ratio by a hydrogen generating catalyst arranged in the exhaust path to cause the water-gas-shift reaction, or steam reforming, efficiently.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-47919 ('919 publication), for example, although the SOX poisoning restoration process is not described, the degeneration of the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst is determined using the hydrogen component generated in the exhaust gas at the time of purification by reduction of the NOX occluded in the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst.
At the time of purification by reduction of the NOX occluded in the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst, hydrogen in the exhaust gas is consumed for reducing NOX and therefore no hydrogen flows out downstream of the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst as long as NOX remains occluded in the catalyst.
When hydrogen begins to flow out into the exhaust gas downstream of the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst, therefore, the whole amount of the NOX occluded in the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst is considered to have been purified by reduction. Therefore, the time from the start of purification by reduction of the occluded NOX to the detection of the hydrogen component on the downstream side corresponds to the amount of NOX occluded by the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst.
According to the '919 publication, a H2 sensor for detecting hydrogen in the exhaust gas is arranged in the exhaust paths upstream and downstream of the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst and, based on the time required from the detection of hydrogen by the upstream-side H2 sensor to the detection of hydrogen by the downstream-side H2 sensor during the process of purification by reduction of the occluded NOX, it is determined whether the amount of NOX occluded by the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst has decreased or not (whether the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst is degenerated or not).
As described above, the poisoning restoration process can be efficiently executed by supplying hydrogen into the exhaust gas flowing into the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst during the execution of the SOX poisoning restoration process.
For this purpose, however, a sufficient amount of hydrogen to release the whole amount of SOX occluded in the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst from the catalyst is required to be supplied to the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst during the execution of the poisoning restoration process. Also, in order to supply a sufficient amount of hydrogen to the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst, a lengthy SOX poisoning restoration process is required in the case where the concentration of the hydrogen component in the exhaust gas is low.
Further, in the case where the concentration of the hydrogen component in the exhaust gas supplied to the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst exceeds a predetermined value during the poisoning restoration process, the problem is posed that the extraneous SOX reacts with hydrogen and H2S (hydrogen sulfide) is generated. Hydrogen sulfide not only has a unique odor but also is toxic, and therefore it is not desirable that hydrogen sulfide is generated each time the poisoning restoration process is executed.
For this reason, the concentration of the hydrogen component in the exhaust gas supplied to the NOX occlusion reproduction catalyst during the SOX poisoning restoration process and the duration of the poisoning restoration process are required to be set in such a manner that a sufficient amount of hydrogen can be supplied to the NOX to release and reduce the SOX occluded by the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst on the one hand, and the concentration of the hydrogen component in the exhaust gas is required to be lower than the value for generating hydrogen sulfide on the other hand. In other words, the concentration of the hydrogen component in the exhaust gas during the SOX poisoning restoration process and the duration of the restoration process are required to be controlled in an appropriate range taking the aforementioned facts into consideration.
However, none of the prior arts considers the requirement of controlling the concentration of the hydrogen component in the exhaust gas during the SOX poisoning restoration process and the duration of the restoration process as related to the concentration of the hydrogen component. Although the '919 publication refers to the detection of the hydrogen component in the exhaust gas using the H2 sensor, it totally fails to consider the efficient execution of the restoration process using hydrogen during the SOX poisoning restoration process or the operation of detecting the concentration of the hydrogen component and controlling the concentration of the hydrogen component itself or the duration of the restoration process.
As a result, in the prior art, there is a problem that the SOX poisoning restoration process of the NOX occlusion and reduction catalyst cannot be efficiently executed.

Exhaust gas purification apparatus for internal combustion engine


A system for remote communication of physiological information from one person to another and, more particularly, the mutual communication of heartbeat between two persons. The system comprises a web server which cooperates with two remote installations identified as A and B. Each of the remote installations comprises a heartbeat sensor, a pillow, and a local host. The local host may be a personal computer or laptop, or a suitable mobile phone running an appropriate application. The heartbeat sensor monitors the heartbeat of person A which is communicated via their pillow, their local host and a server, and then via a second local host to produce a visual and audible representation of heartbeat A in a pillow located with person B. At the same time, the heartbeat of person B is represented in the same manner at the pillow of person A.

Modern technology has enabled a vast increase in the ability to communicate remotely, as by landline and mobile telephone, and Internet enabled services such as email and VOIP. However, all of these are essentially based on written or verbal communication. The present invention arose from a desire to utilise technology to bring people together in a more intimate way. When partners are geographically separated, they have an emotional need not only to communicate by voice or script, but also by continuing some feeling of physical proximity and intimacy.
The present invention addresses this need.

System for remote communication of heartbeat


A container apparatus of a vehicle which may include (a) a fixed member, (b) a movable member movable relative to the fixed member, (c) a slider having a longitudinal direction and provided to a first member, which is one of the fixed member and the movable member, so as to be slidable relative to the first member, (d) a slider biasing member biasing the slider in one direction in the longitudinal direction of the slider, (e) a lock device having a hook engaging portion and a hook engageable with the hook engaging portion, one of the hook engaging portion and the hook being provided in the slider and the other of the hook engaging portion and the hook being provided in a second member which is the other of the fixed member and the movable member, and (f) a knob device provided to the first member and including a push-type knob which pulls the slider in a direction opposite the one direction in which the slider biasing member biases the slider.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container apparatus of a vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Publication 2003-148026 discloses a container apparatus of a vehicle which, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, includes a fixed member 1 fixed to a vehicle, a movable member 2 movable relative to the fixed member 1 so as to be pulled out from the fixed member and pushed into the fixed member, and a slider 3 provided slidably relative to the movable member 2 in a vertical direction. Two hook engageable portions 4 are provided on the fixed member 1 at portions of the fixed member different from each other in a transverse direction (a right and left direction) of the fixed member. Two hooks 5 are provided on the slider 3 so as to be engageable with the hook engageable portions 4 when the movable member is positioned in the fixed member. A knob 6 is provided in the movable member 2 at a transverse center of the movable member so as to be rotatable relative to the movable member in a plane in which the movable member is moved relative to the fixed member. The knob 6 moves down the slider 3 when the knob 6 pushes down the transverse center of the slider 3. Since the knob 6 is rotated, the movable member 2 may be a concave 7 shaped portion which allows a finger to handle the knob by entering a space 8 between a surface of the concave 7 shaped portion and the knob.
With the above-described container apparatus, there may be the following drawbacks:
(a) It may be difficult to locate the knob at a position offset from the transverse center of the movable member.
If the knob were located at a transverse end portion of the movable member, the knob may push down the slider accompanied by rotation of the slider about a transverse center of the slider. As a result, it can be difficult to move the slider in the vertical direction via the knob. This may mean that it is difficult to locate the knob at the transverse end portion of the movable member. When the knob is provided to an upper box or a glove box in front of a front passenger seat of a vehicle at a transverse center of the upper box or the glove box, the knob can be positioned far away from a driver, whereby handling of the knob is not easy.
(b) A size of the container apparatus may be increased in the vertical direction.
Since the slider is movable in the vertical direction, a vertical size of the container apparatus may be increased.
When a transverse dimension between the two hooks is large, a transverse dimension of the slider to which the hooks are provided is also large. In that case, in order to cause the slider to move smoothly in the vertical direction, a larger vertical sized slider may be required. As a result, the vertical size of the container apparatus is also larger.
(c) An external appearance of the movable member may be degraded by including the concave shaped portion.
Since the knob is rotatably coupled to the movable member, the movable member is required to have the concave shaped portion to allow a finger to enter between the surface of the concave shaped portion and the knob, which makes the external appearance quality of the movable member low.


Systems and methods are described herein for enabling a burst mode in a printing device to accelerate a first page out time for a print job. A warm up period typically allowed in a laser printer is used to heat up a fuser to an optimum temperature. When certain printing conditions exist, burst mode enables the printer to omit the warm up period and operate with the fuser at a lower temperature. The lower temperature is acceptable for most printing conditions without degrading print quality. If the print conditions indicate the warm up period is desirable, then burst mode is not enabled. Print conditions include temperature, humidity, print job length, print job coverage, print job media size, simplex/duplex mode, and the like.

Anyone who has ever used a laser printer is familiar with the lag between the time a print job is submitted to the laser printer and the time the first page of the print job is printed from the laser printer. Although the delay can sometimes be frustrating, it has become so common that laser printer users have grown to accept the delay as an inevitable inconvenience.
One reason for the delay is that the laser printer requires some time to increase current to a fuser in the laser printer to heat the fuser. If the fuser is not heated to a high enough temperature in certain temperature or humidity conditions, or for certain printer usage, then toner may not properly adhere to print media. Heating the fuser to an appropriately high temperature ensures that the toner will be properly affixed to print media, no matter the printer usage or environmental conditions.
However, most printers are used in conditions—such as in offices—that don't require the fuser to be heated to as high of a temperature as might be required in some extreme conditions. Printers must be designed, however, with margins to operate properly in even the extreme conditions. Hence, the fuser warm up time is required and causes the first page out delay.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A fiber optic connector comprising a connector body that can receive the optical cable and a complimentary receptacle. Fiber optic connector comprises a ferrule body having a passageway to guide an optical fiber of the optical cable, and a compress body being arranged between the connector body and the ferrule body. The compress body has a hollow area to receive the optical fiber. The compress body is configured to exert a force to the ferrule body so that the end face of the ferrule body is moved in a forward direction away from the connector body, when an external force is applied to an outer surface of the compress body. Methods of making assemblies are also disclosed.

Communication networks are used to transport a variety of signals such as voice, video, data transmission and the like. Traditional communication networks use copper wires in cables for transporting information and data. However, copper cables have drawbacks because they are large, heavy, and can only transmit a relatively limited amount of data. On the other hand, an optical waveguide is capable of transmitting signals having an extremely large amount of bandwidth compared with a copper conductor. Moreover, an optical cable is much lighter and smaller compared with a copper cable having the same bandwidth capacity.
Consequently, optical cables replaced most of the copper cables in long-haul communication network links, thereby providing greater bandwidth capacity for long-haul links. As optical waveguides are deployed deeper in communication networks, subscribers will have access to increased bandwidth. But there are certain obstacles that make it challenging and/or expensive to route optical waveguides/optical cables deeper into the communication network, i.e. closer to the subscriber.
For instance, making a suitable optical connection between optical waveguides is much more difficult than making an electrical connection between copper wires. Additionally, as the communication network pushes towards subscribers, the communication network requires more connections, which compounds the difficulties of providing optical waveguides to the premises of the subscriber.
A common way to connect optical fibers of an optical cable is by using optical connectors. Fiber optic connectors generally hold the mating optical fibers/waveguides in respective ferrules of the mating connectors. The process of terminating individual optical fibers from an optical cable by an optical connector is referred to as "connectorization" or "termination" of the optical fibers with a connector.
Installing fiber optic connectors is best performed in a factory setting under ideal working conditions. However, it is often necessary that optical fibers of optical cables have to be coupled by means of optical connectors in the field where there is no, or less, specialized equipment available. Terminating an optical cable with a connector may become particularly complex depending on the construction of the optical cable and the strain relief performance required.
There is an unresolved need to provide a fiber optic connector for connectorization of an optical cable, wherein the fiber optic connector has a small size, and the manufacturing processes of the fiber optic connector and the installation process in the field is simplified. There is a further desire to provide a receptacle to receive the fiber optic connector, wherein the receptacle has a small size and allows optical cables to be connected in the field with an easy process.

Fiber optic connector having a compressible body and complimentary receptacle along with methods of making


An energy converter includes a resonator adapted for generating a sound wave in a medium, and a movable member disposed in a progressive direction of the sound wave generated by the resonator, and adapted for being driven by an acoustic radiation pressure resulting from the progression of the sound wave. Since the vibrational energy of the resonator is conveyed to the movable member as the acoustic radiation pressure by way of the medium, the present energy converter exhibits an excellent energy conversion efficiency. Namely, the loss is reduced during the conversion of the vibration of the resonator into the driving force for the movable member, and accordingly the present energy converter exhibits a high conversion efficiency. The present energy converter may further include a stator adapted for holding the stator thereto and disposing the liquid therein. If such is the case, the energy converter can be applied to liquid media.

Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an energy converter. For instance, it is applicable to an actuator which is operated with a sound wave as a driving source. More precisely, it is applicable to an actuator in which an acoustic radiation pressure is utilized in order to carry out a rotary motion, a linear motion, or the like.


A system for displaying images is provided. The system includes a touch sensor device including a transparent substrate having a sensing region and a non-sensing region adjacent to the sensing region. A sensing electrode pattern layer is on the transparent substrate in the sensing region. An inorganic dielectric material layer is on the transparent substrate. The inorganic dielectric material layer has a first portion in the non-sensing region and a second portion in the sensing region and partially covering the sensing electrode pattern layer. A method of forming a touch sensor device is also disclosed.

Field of the Invention
The disclosure relates to touch panel display technology, and in particular to a light shielding/decorative film for a touch sensor device.
Description of the Related Art
A touch sensor device is typically integrated with a flat panel display device, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an active matrix organic light-emitting display (AMOLED) or the like, to form a touch panel display. Touch panel displays are typically used in electronic devices, such as portable personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), electronic books, projectors, mobile phones, and the like. The touch panel display is capable of conducting input functions by a finger, a stylus, a pen, or the like and therefore has gained an increasing amount of attention and popularity.
Generally, a shielding layer (e.g., a black matrix (BM) layer) is typically disposed in the peripheral region (i.e., a non-sensing region or a fan-out region) of a touch sensor device for light shielding or decoration. Currently, conventional black or white photoresist materials are used as the shielding layer. Moreover, the shielding layer are typically formed by a wet process (e.g., a screen printing or spin coating process), such that the shielding layer has a sufficient thickness (e.g., more than 1 μm) which is capable of providing a good light shielding effect. A step height, however, may be formed between the fan-out region and the sensing region due to the thick shielding layer, resulting in a mura defect between the fan-out region and the sensing region after depositing a transparent conductive layer for formation of sensing electrodes in subsequent processes, which reduces the display quality.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for development of a novel light shielding/decorative film structure, capable of mitigating or eliminating the aforementioned problems.


A superconducting quantum mechanical device includes first, second, third and fourth Josephson junctions connected in a bridge circuit having first, second and third resonance eigenmodes. The device also includes first and second capacitor pads. The first and second capacitor pads and the bridge circuit form a superconducting qubit having a resonance frequency corresponding to the first resonance eigenmode. The device further includes first and second resonator sections. The first and second resonator sections and the bridge circuit form a resonator having a resonance frequency corresponding to the second resonance eigenmode. The device also includes a source of magnetic flux arranged proximate the bridge circuit. The source of magnetic flux is configured to provide, during operation, a magnetic flux through the bridge circuit to cause coupling between the first, second and third resonance eigenmodes when the third resonance eigenmode is excited.

The currently claimed embodiments of the present invention relate to superconducting quantum mechanical devices, and more specifically, to a superconducting quantum mechanical device having a superconducting qubit coupled to a superconducting resonator within the same device.
Circuit Quantum Electrodynamics (cQED) is a basic and common building block in quantum processor architectures. cQED consists of a superconducting qubit coupled to a superconducting resonator. The resonance frequencies of the qubit and the resonator are usually different. For example, the qubit frequency can be around 5 GHz whereas the resonator frequency can be around 7 GHz. When the frequencies are different, the coupling is referred to as a dispersive coupling. There are various types of qubits that can be used including, for example, transmons, fluxoniums, capacitively-shunted qubits, etc. There are also various geometries of superconducting resonators that can be used including, for example, coplanar waveguide resonators, stripline resonators, microstrip resonators, three-dimensional cavities, etc. Examples of superconducting materials that can be used for the resonators include, but are not limited to, Nb, Al, TiN, NbTiN, NbN, etc. Various mechanisms can be employed for coupling a qubit to a resonator, including capacitive coupling (e.g., through a capacitor), and inductive coupling (e.g., through a mutual inductance).
cQED is used in many applications including: 1) resonator functions as a bandpass filter between the qubit and external circuitry to filter out noise coming through lines at the qubit frequency; 2) the qubit can be driven and controlled by injecting qubit pulses through the resonator port; and 3) the qubit state can be measured by detecting changes in the resonator frequency influenced by the qubit state.
To measure a state of a qubit using the cQED architecture, a readout signal close to the readout resonator frequency is sent to the resonator. Due to coupling (capacitive or inductive) between the qubit and the resonator, the resonator frequency depends on the qubit state. In other words, the resonance frequency of the readout resonator is different when the qubit is in the ground state than when the qubit is in the excited stated. Due to the dependence of the readout resonator resonance frequency on the qubit state, the frequency of the readout signal is set to be in the middle between these two resonance frequencies. By monitoring or measuring a phase shift of a reflected readout signal, one can determine the qubit state because the phase shift would be different depending on the resonance frequency of the readout resonator, which depends on the qubit state.
Therefore, in cQED, the readout resonator can protect the qubit from electromagnetic noise from the external environment. cQED also allows for relatively accurate and sensitive measurement of the qubit state using the resonator. cQED allows for the performance of a quantum non-demolition measurement of the qubit state. In general, the theory of cQED is well developed and the cQED architecture is relatively easy to implement and scale up.
However, in cQED, the coupling between the qubit and readout resonator is always ON. As a result, any noise photons (thermal or non-thermal) present in the readout resonator can cause the qubit state to dephase and lose its phase coherence. One way to circumvent this problem is to increase the bandwidth of the resonator to decrease the time it takes to measure the qubit. However, increasing the bandwidth of the resonator to decrease the time it takes to measure the qubit can also lead to decreasing the lifetime of the qubit (due to the Purcell effect). To combat the Purcell effect and still provide a relatively fast readout, a Purcell filter is usually added to the readout resonator. The Purcell filter is a microwave filter which has almost unity transmission at the readout frequency but large attenuation at the qubit frequency. As a result, this solution adds hardware complexity to the quantum processor architecture.
For qubits that are coupled to relatively slow readout resonators (having narrow bandwidth), qubit dephasing caused by long-lived readout photons (which are part of a readout pulse) can be reduced by quickly emptying the readout resonator of photons using a certain pulse sequence applied to the readout resonator (e.g., the CLEAR method). This solution also adds software, pulse, and timing complexity to the quantum processor architecture.
In conventional devices, to reduce photon population inside the readout resonator and thus reduce qubit dephasing, the coupling between the qubit and readout resonator and the presence of noise photons sets stringent requirement on the qubit setup. For example, the readout resonator is well thermalized to the base-temperature stage, the power of pulses applied are as low as possible to prevent heating effects, the heat dissipation in the environment coupled to the readout resonator should also be minimized, and cryogenic isolators and circulators are added to the output lines to protect against noise including electromagnetic noise such as amplified noise or thermal noise such as blackbody radiation at the readout frequency. These cryogenic circulators and isolators are bulky, hard to thermalize, expensive, heavy, and the use of magnetic materials and strong magnetic fields which can have negative effects of superconducting circuits.

Superconducting qubit and resonator system based on the Josephson ring modulator

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION


A multiple endpoint path for providing endpoint redundancy is described. Selected active end nodes in a digital communications network are configured by a network management system to have compatible alternate endpoint paths. When one of the selected active endpoint paths fails, the network management system automatically switches the endpath from the previously active endpoint to the alternate end point path.

This invention relates to the management of switched digital communications through a communications network and more particularly to a method and a system for rerouting digital traffic via multiple endpoint paths in the event of an endpoint failure.
The ever-increasing popularity of personal computers, modems and other terminal devices, in both home and enterprise environments, has expanded the need for reliable communications networks whether they be local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), Internet or Intranet. Digital networks of the type contemplated by this invention are capable of transporting circuit switched voice and data as well as packet switched communications such as frame relay and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM).
An important component in digital communications networks is the network manager which permits the user to set up and manage virtual backbone networks and virtual switched networks. Network managers such as Newbridge Networks Corporation""s 4601, 4602 and 46020 MainStreet (trademark) provide the user with a graphical user interface (GUI) to create and manage network paths between selected end stations across the network architecture.
These network managers give the user or operator the capability of monitoring traffic flow from node to node within the network and to automatically reroute the traffic if a network node becomes unserviceable for any reason. In this way, if a particular switching node within the network experiences failure the network manager will automatically calculate an alternate path through the network and reroute the traffic flow as necessary in order to bypass the failed node.
It is believed that heretofore network managers have not been able to automatically overcome a situation in which the endpoint path fails. Thus, if a path is set up from endpoint to endpoint across the network and one of the pathends fail, the complete path goes out of service. In this event the status of the path is referred to as connected-down. The connections along the path remain active but the path doesn""t. When the failed endpoint comes back online the complete path again becomes active. Currently, this problem is solved manually by creating another path with a new endpoint or by fixing the faulty endpoint. There is, therefore, a need to provide automatic recovery for path endpoint failures.
It is an object of the present invention to provide compatible alternate end paths for selected active end paths within a digital communication network.
Therefore, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided, in a network manager for managing switched digital communications through a network, a system for providing endpoint path redundancy by means of multiple endpoint paths. The system comprises means to define a compatible alternate pathend for a selected active pathend; storage means for storing configuration information respecting the alternate pathend; means to detect a malfunction in the selected active pathend; means to access the storage means to obtain the configuration information in the event of a malfunction of the selected active pathend; and rerouting means to switch data destined for the selected active pathend to the alternate pathend upon receipt of the configuration information.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of managing switched digital communications to an endpoint in a communications network, the endpoint having an active end path. The method comprises defining a compatible alternate end path for the active end path; storing configuration information respecting the alternate end path in storage means; detecting a malfunction at the active path; retrieving configuration information respecting the alternate end path in the event of a failure of the active end path; and routing the digital communication to the alternate end path on receipt of the configuration information.


A method and device for decoding a plurality of packets of same data. Each packet is encoded using a product code. An encoded packet comprises data blocks is organized into rows and columns. Each of the rows and columns has a respective error detecting code. For a data packet, Erroneous row and column data are detected by their associated error detecting code. In the data packet, a potentially erroneous data block belonging to a row and a column of data blocks both having been detected as erroneous is detected. In another data packet of the same data, a non-erroneous data block corresponding to the identified potentially erroneous data block is determined. The data block is determined as non-erroneous if it belongs to at least one row or column of data having been detected as non-erroneous. The identified potentially erroneous block is replaced with the determined non-erroneous block.

Wireless A/V (audio/video) applications are becoming increasingly numerous and require ever higher data bit rates of the order of Gigabits per second (Gbps) and an increasingly higher quality of service. W-PAN millimeter type networks are particularly well suited to this type of application. Indeed, the authorized band around a carrier frequency of 60 GHz offers a wide bandwidth thus enabling the transportation of a large quantity of data. Moreover, the radio range of such systems is limited to about ten meters, favouring the re-utilization of the frequencies in time and space. A typical characteristic of millimeter waves is their sensibility to masking phenomenon; static or moving obstacles such as furniture, objects, humans etc. can block or disrupt the communication path causing transmission errors.
Since in high speed A/V wireless systems, the available bandwidth is mainly dedicated to the transmission of the data application, the amount of bandwidth used for control or protocol should be minimized.
Point to point transmissions over millimeter waves often suffer from low Signal to Noise ratios (SNR) and from shadowing. Consequently optimized paths between the emitter transmitting the data and the receiver of the data are required. This signifies that transmissions should be performed only through reliable paths so as to limit the number of potential retransmissions. However the reliability of transmission paths can never be guaranteed.
The present invention has been devised to address one or more of the foregoing concerns.

Method and device for processing received data


A management system outputs catalog data, which has been created based on catalog-source data comprising data showing at least an application of a relevant resource with respect to each of multiple providable resources, and which shows the respective applications of the multiple resources, and receives a selection of a resource to be provided from the multiple resources. The management system provides the selected resource as a provided resource, and determines, based on a performance threshold configured with respect to the application of the provided resource, whether or not a performance measurement value, which relates to the processing performance of a network service using the provided resource and which can be monitored by the management system, is normal.

Until now, for example, a management system, which monitors the performance of a computer system and performs cause analysis on a failure which has occurred in the computer system, has been known.
For example, the technology cited below in Patent Literature 1 discloses technology for performing cause analysis. A root cause analysis engine uses event durations and gradual deletion of events to improve analysis accuracy and reduce the number of required calculations. Matching ratios of relevant rules are recalculated every time notification of an event is received. The calculation results are held in a rule memory in the analysis engine. Each event has a valid duration, and when the duration has expired, the relevant event is deleted from the rule memory. Events held in the rule memory can be deleted without affecting other events held in the rule memory. The analysis engine can then recalculate the matching ratio of each rule by executing the recalculation only for the affected rules related to the deleted event. Calculation costs can be reduced because the analysis engine processes events either incrementally or decrementally. The analysis engine can determine the most likely conclusion even when one or more condition elements are not true.


A portable bag container to hold and dispense disposable bags. The container includes a housing that has a generally hollow interior, an axle within the housing that is capable of receiving a plurality of disposable bags wrapped thereon to form a continuous roll of disposable bags, and a hanger that enables the device to releasably secure the housing to an object. The hollow interior is capable of releasably storing a plurality of disposable bags and includes an opening to allow the disposable bags to be removed from it. The hanger includes a pair of clip members connected by a bridge portion and has a pair of inwardly extending arms for attaching the clip members to the housing. The inwardly extending arms engage the ends of the axle such that the axle revolves about the arms when a disposable bag is withdrawn through the opening in the housing.

Many towns, cities and municipalities have by-laws that require the owners of dogs and other animals to pick up and dispose of feces that are dropped by their animals on public property. Accordingly, animal owners who walk their animals or allow them to run freely on public property must typically carry with them devices or objects which can be used to scoop and contain animal droppings. By far the most common method of picking up after pets is for owners to carry with them plastic bags or gloves that may be used to pick up and retain the droppings until such time as they may be properly disposed of.
Unfortunately, it is commonly the case that individuals either forget to carry with them plastic bags, gloves or other devices that may be used to pick up droppings from their animals, or fail to carry with them a sufficient number of bags or devices when they are walking their animals on public streets and property. There is therefore a need for a device that can be readily carried by, or attached to, either an individual or a dog or pet within which a number of disposable bags can be carried such that the owner is never without a means to clean up after his or her animal. There is also a need for such a device having a relatively compact size and the ability to be replenished with bags as they are used up.


A method for providing a cross-application content player is disclosed. The method includes receiving, during playback of a content item in a first content player within a first user interface of a first mobile application, an indication of a user request pertaining to a second mobile application, wherein the first mobile application is associated with a first platform, and the second mobile application is associated with a second platform. The method further includes identifying a play state of the content item corresponding to the user request, and causing playback of the content item in a second content player within a second user interface of the second mobile application based on the play state.

On the Internet, social networks allow users to connect to and share information with each other. Many social networks include a content sharing aspect that allows users to upload, view, and share content, such as video content, image content, audio content, and so on. Other users of the social network may comment on the shared content, discover new content, locate updates, share content, and otherwise interact with the provided content. The shared content may include content from professional content creators, e.g., movie clips, TV clips, and music videos, as well as content from amateur content creators, e.g., video blogging and short original videos.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An integral control system for an engine and an automatic transmission, in which the engine torque is reduced at a shifting time by the automatic transmission. The control system comprises a mechanism for limiting the engine torque to a predetermined value or less prior to the start of a shift by the automatic transmission when a predetermined condition is satisfied at the time of the shift. The engine torque is continuously reduced to a predetermined value by throttling the throttle opening gradually by a throttle valve mechanism till the start of an inertia phase in the shift; is reduced by further throttling the throttle opening by the throttle valve mechanism in accordance with the start of the inertia phase; and is gradually returned by increasing the throttle opening continuously by the throttle valve mechanism after the torque reduction control.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integral control system for an engine and an automatic transmission, for executing a control to reduce the output torque of the engine at a shifting time.
2. Related Art
In a vehicle having an automatic transmission mounted thereon for executing shifts by applying/releasing frictional engagement units, the output torque of an engine is reduced at the shifting time so as to reduce the shift shocks, to shorten the shifting time and to improve the durability of the frictional engagement units. This torque reducing control is generally performed by controlling the angular delay in the ignition timing of the engine because of its high responsiveness. However, the reduction in the engine torque to be achieved by the angular delay control of the ignition timing is relatively small. When the ignition timing is delayed, the exhaust gas is deteriorated to raise a load upon the exhaust cleaning system.
In the prior art, therefore, there has been developed a technique for reducing the engine torque at a shifting time by lowering the throttle opening. One example of this technique is disclosed in JP-A-3-157560. The invention, as disclosed, is applied to an engine which is equipped with an electronically controlled sub-throttle valve upstream of a main throttle valve acting with the accelerator pedal. Simultaneously with the start of the shift control, the sub-throttle valve is so throttled that the engine torque may not change. At the instant when the start of an inertia phase is detected, the sub-throttle valve is further throttled to reduce the engine torque. From the instant when it is decided that the inertia phase ends or comes to an end, the sub-throttle valve is gradually opened to increase the engine torque.
In the aforementioned control system of the prior art, the degree of opening of the sub-throttle valve is lowered according to the start of the shift control. The drop of this degree of opening so responses to the degree of opening of the main throttle valve as to cause no change in the engine torque. As a result, the engine torque is substantially reduced by further throttling the sub-throttle valve after the start of the inertia phase so that the drop in the engine torque will never fail to become considerably large. As a result, if the timing of the execution of the control of reducing the engine torque is off; the engine torque so highly drops in the torque phase that it causes a drop in the output torque, thereby resulting in shift shocks.
In order to eliminate this disadvantage, the start of the inertia phase has to be accurately detected, and the opening of the sub-throttle valve has also to be lowered. These necessities raise another disadvantage that a control of extremely high accuracy is demanded.

Integral control system for engine and automatic transmission


A flash memory device is disclosed. The flash memory device includes a memory cell array configured to have memory cells for storing data, and store initial data in a part of the memory cells, a page buffer circuit configured to have page buffers for providing data to be programmed in the memory cell or reading data from the memory cell, a controller configured to control the page buffer circuit so that the initial data stored in the memory cell array are read when operation of the flash memory device is started, discriminate error of the read initial data, and amend the error of the initial data, and an initial data latching circuit for latching the initial data of which the error is amended by the controller.

The present invention relates to a flash memory device and more particularly to a method for storing data used in an initial power up.
As the demand for mobile devices such as a camcorder, a digital camera, a portable phone, an MP3 (MPEG-1 Layer 3) player, etc. increases, efforts also increase to enhance the flash memory device.
A NAND flash memory device employed in the mobile device operates in accordance with an application program, wherein option of the NAND flash memory device is determined in accordance with the operation characteristics of the mobile device.
The applications requiring the mobile device has increased accordingly as new techniques are developed. Hence, a method for providing flexible options to the NAND flash memory device has been required.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional flash memory device.
In FIG. 1, the flash memory device 100 includes a memory cell array 110 having memory cells for storing data, a surrounding circuit 120 for storing data in the memory cell array 110 or reading data from the memory cell array 110, a controller 130 for controlling operation of the flash memory device 100 by controlling the surrounding circuit 120, an initial data latching circuit 140 for temporarily storing administrative information required for operation of the flash memory device 100 in an initial operation (i.e., power up) of the flash memory device 100, and a fuse circuit 150 for storing initial administrative information to be stored in the initial data latching circuit 140 using sub-fuse circuits.
The memory cell array 110 includes the memory cells.
The surrounding circuit 120 is connected to the memory cell array 110 and includes a page buffer for programming data in the memory cells or reading data from the memory cells.
The controller 130 outputs a control signal for controlling operation of the surrounding circuit 120.
The fuse circuit 150 has a plurality of sub-fuse circuits for storing data, and generates administrative information for controlling operation of the flash memory device 100 by combining information stored in the sub-fuse circuits. Here, the administrative information includes voltage setting information, etc. for operating optimally the flash memory device 100 in accordance with a system used in the flash memory device 100. The administrative information is stored in the initial data latching circuit 140 when the flash memory device 100 is operated at the initial power up so that the controller 130 uses the administrative information.
However, the sub-fuse circuits occupy much space compared to a transistor, thereby affecting the size of a memory chip which has become highly integrated. In addition, if the sub-fuse circuit is cut, the sub-fuse circuit may not be connected again. As a result, yield may be lowered due to a cutting error.

Flash memory device and method of operating the same


The invention relates to nucleic acid molecules which code for the tumor rejection antigen precursor MAGE-8. Also disclosed are vectors, cell lines, and so forth, which utilize the nucleic acid molecule, and optionally, molecules coding for human leukocyte antigen HLA-A1. Use of these materials in therapeutic and diagnostic contexts are also a part of the invention.

This invention relates in general to the field of immunogenetics as applied to the study of oncology. More specifically, it relates to the study and analysis of mechanisms by which tumors are recognized by the organism""s immune system such as through the presentation of so-called tumor rejection antigens, and the expression of what will be referred to herein as xe2x80x9ctumor rejection antigen precursorsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cTRAPsxe2x80x9d. Most specifically, it refers to nucleic acid molecules coding for one such TRAP, i.e., MAGE-3, which is processed to a tumor rejection antigen or xe2x80x9cTRAxe2x80x9d presented by HLA-A1 molecules.
The study of the recognition or lack of recognition of cancer cells by a host organism has proceeded in many different directions. Understanding of the field presumes some understanding of both basic immunology and oncology.
Early research on mouse tumors revealed that these displayed molecules which led to rejection of tumor cells when transplanted into syngeneic animals. These molecules are xe2x80x9crecognizedxe2x80x9d by T-cells in the recipient animal, and provoke a cytolytic T-cell response with lysis of the transplanted cells. This evidence was first obtained with tumors induced in vitro by chemical carcinogens, such as methylcholanthrene. The antigens expressed by the tumors and which elicited the T-cell response were found to be different for each tumor. See Prehn, et al., J. Natl. Canc. Inst. 18: 769-778 (1957); Klein et al., Cancer Res. 20: 1561-1572 (1960); Gross, Cancer Res. 3: 326-333 (1943), Basombrio, Cancer Res. 30: 2458-2462 (1970) for general teachings on inducing tumors with chemical carcinogens and differences in cell surface antigens. This class of antigens has come to be known as xe2x80x9ctumor specific transplantation antigensxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cTSTAsxe2x80x9d. Following the observation of the presentation of such antigens when induced by chemical carcinogens, similar results were obtained when tumors were induced in vitro via ultraviolet radiation. See Kripke, J. Natl. Canc. Inst. 53: 333-1336 (1974).
While T-cell mediated immune responses were observed for the types of tumor described supra, spontaneous tumors were thought to be generally non-immunogenic. These were therefore believed not to present antigens which provoked a response to the tumor in the tumor carrying subject. See Hewitt, et al., Brit. J. Cancer 33: 241-259 (1976).
The family of tumxe2x88x92 antigen presenting cell lines are immunogenic variants obtained by mutagenesis of mouse tumor cells or cell lines, as described by Boon et al., J. Exp. Med. 152: 1184-1193 (1980), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. To elaborate, tumxe2x88x92 antigens are obtained by mutating tumor cells which do not generate an immune response in syngeneic mice and will form tumors (i.e., xe2x80x9ctum+xe2x80x9d cells). When these tum+ cells are mutagenized, they are rejected by syngeneic mice, and fail to form tumors (thus xe2x80x9ctumxe2x88x92xe2x80x9d). See Boon et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74: 272 (1977), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. Many tumor types have been shown to exhibit this phenomenon. See, e.g., Frost et al., Cancer Res. 43: 125 (1983).
It appears that tumxe2x88x92 variants fail to form progressive tumors because they elicit an immune rejection process. The evidence in favor of this hypothesis includes the ability of xe2x80x9ctumxe2x88x92xe2x80x9d variants of tumors, i.e., those which do not normally form tumors, to do so in mice with immune systems suppressed by sublethal irradiation, Van Pel et al., Proc. Natl, Acad. Sci. USA 76: 5282-5285 (1979); and the observation that intraperitoneally injected tumxe2x88x92 cells of mastocytoma P815 multiply exponentially for 12-15 days, and then are eliminated in only a few days in the midst of an influx of lymphocytes and macrophages (Uyttenhove et al., J. Exp. Med. 152: 1175-1183 (1980)). Further evidence includes the observation that mice acquire an immune memory which permits them to resist subsequent challenge to the same tumxe2x88x92 variant, even when immunosuppressive amounts of radiation are administered with the following challenge of cells (Boon et al., Proc. Natl, Acad. Sci. USA 74: 272-275 (1977); Van Pel et al., supra; Uyttenhove et al., supra). Later research found that when spontaneous tumors were subjected to mutagenesis, immunogenic variants were produced which did generate a response. Indeed, these variants were able to elicit an immune protective response against the original tumor. See Van Pel et al., J. Exp. Med. 157: 1992-2001 (1983). Thus, it has been shown that it is possible to elicit presentation of a so-called xe2x80x9ctumor rejection antigenxe2x80x9d in a tumor which is a target for a syngeneic rejection response. Similar results have been obtained when foreign genes have been transfected into spontaneous tumors. See Fearson et al., Cancer Res. 48: 2975-1980 (1988) in this regard.
A class of antigens has been recognized which are presented on the surface of tumor cells and are recognized by cytotoxic T cells, leading to lysis. This class of antigens will be referred to as xe2x80x9ctumor rejection antigensxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cTRAsxe2x80x9d hereafter. TRAs may or may not elicit antibody responses. The extent to which these antigens have been studied, has been via cytolytic T cell characterization studies, in vitro i.e., the study of the identification of the antigen by a particular cytolytic T cell (xe2x80x9cCTLxe2x80x9d hereafter) subset. The subset proliferates upon recognition of the presented tumor rejection antigen, and the cells presenting the antigen are lysed. Characterization studies have identified CTL clones which specifically lyse cells expressing the antigens. Examples of this work may be found in Levy et al., Adv. Cancer Res. 24: 1-59 (1977); Boon et al., J. Exp. Med. 152: 1184-1193 (1980); Brunner et al., J. Immunol. 124: 1627-1634 (1980); Maryanski et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 124: 1627-1634 (1980); Maryanski et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 12: 406-412 (1982); Palladino et al., Canc. Res. 47: 5074-5079 (1987). This type of analysis is required for other types of antigens recognized by CTLs, including minor histocompatibility antigens, the male specific H-Y antigens, and a class of antigens, referred to as xe2x80x9ctumxe2x88x92xe2x80x9d antigens, and discussed herein.
A tumor exemplary of the subject matter described supra is known as P815. See DePlaen et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85: 2274-2278 (1988); Szikora et al., EMBO J 9: 1041-1050 (1990), and Sibille et al., J. Exp. Med. 172: 35-45 (1990), the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. The P815 tumor is a mastocytoma, induced in a DBA/2 mouse with methylcholanthrene and cultured as both an in vitro tumor and a cell line. The P815 line has generated many tumxe2x88x92 variants following mutagenesis, including variants referred to as P9lA (DePlaen, supra), 35B (Szikora, supra), and P198 (Sibille, supra). In contrast to tumor rejection antigensxe2x80x94and this is a key distinctionxe2x80x94the tumxe2x88x92 antigens are only present after the tumor cells are mutagenized. Tumor rejection antigens are present on cells of a given tumor without mutagenesis. Hence, with reference to the literature, a cell line can be tum+, such as the line referred to as xe2x80x9cP1xe2x80x9d, and can be provoked to produce tumxe2x88x92 variants. Since the tumxe2x88x92 phenotype differs from that of the parent cell line, one expects a difference in the DNA of tumxe2x88x92 cell lines as compared to their tum+ parental lines, and this difference can be exploited to locate the gene of interest in tumxe2x88x92 cells. As a result, it was found that genes of tumxe2x88x92 variants such as P91A, 35B and P198 differ from their normal alleles by point mutations in the coding regions of the gene. See Szikora and Sibille, supra, and Lurquin et al., Cell 58: 293-303 (1989). This has proved not to be the case with the TRAs of this invention. These papers also demonstrated that peptides derived from the tumxe2x88x92 antigen are presented by the Ld molecule for recognition by CTLs. P91A is presented by Ld, P35 by Dd and P198 by Kd.
Prior patent applications PCT/US92/04354, U.S. Ser. Nos. 807,043; 764,364; 728,838 and 707,702, all of which are incorporated by reference, describe inventions involving, inter alia, genes and other nucleic acid molecules which code for various TRAPs, which are in turn processed to tumor rejection antigen, or xe2x80x9cTRAsxe2x80x9d.
The genes are useful as a source for the isolated and purified tumor rejection antigen precursor and the TRA themselves, either of which can be used as an agent for treating the cancer for which the antigen is a xe2x80x9cmarkerxe2x80x9d, as well as in various diagnostic and surveillance approaches to oncology, discussed infra. It is known, for example, that tumxe2x88x92 cells can be used to generate CTLs which lyse cells presenting different tumxe2x88x92 antigens as well as tum+ cells. See, e.g., Maryanski et al., Eur. J. Immunol 12: 401 (1982); and Van den Eynde et al., Modern Trends in Leukemia IX (June 1990), the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference. The tumor rejection antigen precursor may be expressed in cells transfected by the gene, and then used to generate an immune response against a tumor of interest.
In the parallel case of human neoplasms, it has been observed that autologous mixed lymphocyte-tumor cell cultures (xe2x80x9cMLTCxe2x80x9d hereafter) frequently generate responder lymphocytes which lyse autologous tumor cells and do not lyse natural killer targets, autologous EBV-transformed B cells, or autologous fibroblasts (see Anichini et al., Immunol. Today 8: 385-389 (1987)). This response has been particularly well studied for melanomas, and MLTC have been carried out either with peripheral blood cells or with tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. Examples of the literature in this area including Knuth et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86: 2804-2802 (1984); Mukherji et al., J. Exp. Med. 158: 240 (1983); Hxc3xa9rin et all, Int. J. Canc. 39: 390-396 (1987); Topalian et al, J. Clin. Oncol 6: 839-853 (1988). Stable cytotoxic T cell clones (xe2x80x9cCTLsxe2x80x9d hereafter) have been derived from MLTC responder cells, and these clones are specific for the tumor cells. See Mukherji et al., supra, Hxc3xa9rin et all, supra, Knuth et al., supra. The antigens recognized on tumor cells by these autologous CTLs do not appear to represent a cultural artifact, since they are found on fresh tumor cells. Topalian et al., supra; Degiovanni et al., Eur. J. Immunol. 20: 1865-1868 (1990). These observations, coupled with the techniques used herein to isolate the genes for specific murine tumor rejection antigen precursors, have led to the isolation of nucleic acid sequences coding for tumor rejection antigen precursors of TRAs presented on human tumors. It is now possible to isolate the nucleic acid sequences which code for tumor rejection antigen precursors, including, but not being limited to those most characteristic of a particular tumor, with ramifications that are described infra.
Additional work has focused upon the presentation of TRAs by the class of molecules known as human leukocyte antigens, or xe2x80x9cHLAsxe2x80x9d. This work has resulted in several unexpected discoveries regarding the field. Specifically in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 938,334, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference, nonapeptides are taught which are presented by the HLA-A1 molecule. The reference teaches that given the known specificity of particular peptides for particular HLA molecules, one should expect a particular peptide to bind one HLA molecule, but not others. This is important, because different individuals possess different HLA phenotypes. As a result, while identification of a particular peptide as being a partner for a specific HLA molecule has diagnostic and therapeutic ramifications, these are only relevant for individuals with that particular HLA phenotype. There is a need for further work in the area, because cellular abnormalities are not restricted to one particular HLA phenotype, and targeted therapy requires some knowledge of the phenotype of the abnormal cells at issue.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 008,446, filed Jan. 22, 1993 and incorporated by reference, the fact that the MAGE-1 expression product is processed to a second TRA is disclosed. This second TRA is presented by HLA-C10-molecules. The disclosure shows that a given TRAP can yield a plurality of TRAs.
In U.S. patent application Ser. No. 994,928, filed Dec. 22, 1992, and incorporated by reference herein, tyrosinase is described as a tumor rejection antigen precursor. This reference discloses that a molecule which is produced by some normal cells (e.g., melanocytes), is processed in tumor cells to yield a tumor rejection antigen that is presented by HLA-A2 molecules.
It was mentioned, supra, that different individuals possess different HLA types. It has also been found that the expression of particular MAGE genes is not always linked to particular disorders, or individuals of particular HLA types. Thus, one cannot state, e.g., that all melanoma patients will express MAGE-1 TRAP nor could one say categorically that MAGE-1 expression is limited to melanoma patients of type HLA-A1. Further, one cannot state that only one type of TRAP is expressed in individuals of a particular HLA type. No rules or guidelines can be pointed to which correlate any of these factors.
Thus, it is not expected that a second TRAP is processed to a TRAP which is presented by HLA-A1 molecules. It has now been found that in addition to MAGE-1, a TRA derived from MAGE-3 TRAP is presented by HLA-A1 molecules. This is shown in examples 37-40, which follow, together with a discussion of the ramifications of this discovery.
These and various other aspects of the invention are elaborated upon in the disclosure which follows.

Isolated nucleic acid molecules coding for tumor rejection antigen precursor MAGE-8 and uses thereof


An optical beam scanning device of the present invention is for having a light beam with the width in the main scanning direction wider than the width in the main scanning direction of the reflection surface of a deflector incident on the deflector, reflecting and polarizing a part thereof by the reflection surface of the deflector, and focusing the polarized light beam on a surface to be scanned by optical means including a transmission type optical member. Then, the polarization direction of the light beam incident on the deflector is substantially in the main scanning direction. According to an image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of light sources for forming a plurality of scanning lines with the light beams from a plurality of the light sources, the polarization direction of the light beams from the light sources at the time of being incident on the corresponding deflector is provided substantially in the main scanning direction.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer, and a digital copying machine, and an optical beam scanning device to be used for an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the optical beam scanning device has been applied widely as for example an optical system for supplying a laser beam to an image forming section for forming a latent image on a photosensitive member based on image data in an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer and a digital copying machine.
Such an optical beam scanning device comprises a semiconductor laser element (laser diode) as a light source, a (light sources side) pre-deflection optical system for narrowing the cross-sectional shape of a laser beam output from the laser diode or the like to a predetermined size, a scanning optical system for deflecting the narrowed laser beam by a rotatable polygon mirror in the photosensitive member (photosensitive drum) rotation axis direction, that is, in the main scanning direction, an (image plane side) post-deflection optical system for focusing the deflected laser beam substantially equally at any position along the main scanning direction of the image plane of the photosensitive member, or the like. The direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction of the image plane is defined to be the sub scanning direction.
According to the optical beam scanning device, it is desirable to restrain irregularity of the light amount reaching onto the image plane of the photosensitive member to a small degree. Conventionally, various methods for restraining the irregularity of the light amount to a small degree have been proposed.
As a kind of the method for restraining the irregularity of the light amount to a small degree, there is a method of utilizing the laser beam polarization direction. As a specific method thereof, there is a method of providing the polarization direction between a P polarized light beam and an S polarized light beam, or as a circularly polarized light beam.
For example, the method disclosed in the official gazette of the Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2001-91873 is as follows. That is, the angle θ formed by the polarization direction of the diverging light from the laser diode and the direction perpendicular to the reflection surface of the rotatable polygon mirror is provided as 10°≦θ≦80°.
However, according to the method of providing the polarization direction between a P polarized light beam and an S polarized light beam, or as a circularly polarized light beam, since the phase difference is generated by the P wave component and the S wave component, depending on the incident angle in the case the laser beam polarization direction is incident on the metal rotatable polygon mirror surface, an elliptical polarization with the major axis direction (angle) changed according to the angle change of the rotatable polygon mirror is provided. Therefore, it is difficult to constantly maintain the light amount. Moreover, according to an ordinary lens, the birefringence with the refractive index provided differently depending on the polarization direction is generated due to the influence such as an internal distortion at the time of shaping, processing, or the like. In the case the polarization direction is changed, the light focusing position, or the like is changed as well so that the image forming characteristic is deteriorated as a result, and thus a problem is involved in that the beam cannot be focused, flare is increased, or the like.
One with an adjustable polarization direction has been proposed as well. However, an adjusting mechanism is needed so as to give rise to cost increase, such as the need of the steps for adjustment. Moreover, in general, the beam divergence angle of the laser diode differs depending on the direction, and thus an elliptical beam is provided. Therefore, in the case the laser diode angle itself is rotated around the optical axis, the beam size on the surface to be scanned itself is influenced.
Furthermore, in the case light beams from a plurality of light sources are utilized like in a color image forming apparatus, not only the light amount irregularity of the scanning lines should be restrained but also the light amounts in the scanning lines should be equal. However, as a conventional method, a method of utilizing semiconductor lasers of the same characteristic, or the like has been provided, and the apparatus range with the method usable has been limited.

Optical beam scanning device and image forming apparatus


A camera which prevents accidents which could lead to damage to the shutter when performing shutter time tests in the opened state of the back cover of a camera. The camera has a shutter to limit the exposure time of the recording medium which has been loaded, a measurement unit to measure, according to the action of the shutter, the time of the exposure to the recording medium which the shutter performs, and a back cover sensor to detect whether the back cover is open or closed when film or another recording medium has been loaded into the camera. The action of the measurement unit is inhibited when the back cover sensor detects that the back cover is open. The camera also has a drive unit for recording an image on the film or recording medium and a mode selection switch to select between a normal mode in which a photographic action is performed, in which the shutter and the drive unit are activated, and a test mode in which the shutter and the measurement unit are activated but not the drive unit. A shutter control unit may be used during testing so that the shutter is initially activated for an exposure time other than the minimum exposure time, when the shutter performs an exposure of the recording medium.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having sensors to detect various operations of the camera and multiple modes of operation and, more particularly, a camera with sensors to detect travel of the shutter and latching of the back cover of the camera, used in test and normal modes of operation of the camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
In cameras heretofore, the light rays from an subject were restricted by a stop in the lens, and furthermore the exposure time of the film was limited by a mechanical shutter. The shutter used in a single lens reflex camera fundamentally comprises two blinds, a front blind and a rear blind; before the exposure, the front blind covers the film image plane. By depressing the shutter button, firstly the front blind moves away from the image plane, and exposure of the film image plane commences. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the rear blind moves so as to cover the film image plane. The travel of the front blind and the rear blind is mechanically urged by spring force; the commencement of travel is effected by releasing the holding of the front blind and rear blind.
In the past, the control of these movements was purely mechanical, but in recent years electrical control has become widely used. Similarly to the past, spring force is used for the travel of the front blind and the rear blind, but the commencement of travel is controlled by the passage of current through electromagnets which hold the blinds.
On the other hand, increasing the speed of the shutter to 1/8,000 second and the like has become an important measure and, in addition, it has become necessary in recent years to increase the strobe synchronization speed to enable pictures to be taken in bright surroundings. For this object, it is necessary to make the travel speed of the front blind and rear blind (termed "blind speed" below) fast and in rapid succession by increasing the aforementioned spring force, and also to control to a narrow width the slit which is formed by the front blind and the rear blind.
In the case of high speed exposure times of 1/8,000 second, even if the current flow of the electromagnets is controlled with accurate timing, there is a possibility that the desired timing of the respective blinds will not be obtained. This is due to the speed of separation of the holding mechanisms controlled by the electromagnets and the variability of mechanical travel systems in which springs are included. Furthermore, because this kind of phenomenon can only become apparent after the film has been developed, a camera has been proposed having a shutter monitor which can test the exposure time.
The problems of accurate timing of the shutter become greatest when the highest speeds are used. However, there are few opportunities to use high speeds shorter than 1/8,000 second in normal photography. As a result, timing data were not easily obtained. In addition, not only a test of the shutter time, but also correction of the shutter time due to temperature changes and the like are desired.
Furthermore, in a camera having a shutter measurement device as proposed, there is a problem when the shutter is actuated with the back cover opened. Movement of the shutter vanes may be affected by the wind, etc., and be bent and strike the baseplate or cover plate.
In this kind of camera, when the camera is not used for a long period of time, for example, several days to several months, the first shutter action after this period of non-use is often unstable and the shutter time fluctuates. Accordingly, when a camera has been laid aside for a long period of time, there may be a large deviation in high speed operation in which the exposure time is short. In some instances, the front blind or the rear blind may not even open. In this case, because no test data on the shutter time is obtained, not only can characteristic phenomena not be found in the first shutter activation after a period of non-use, but also the shutter may be determined to be inoperative and the problem thought to be uncorrectable.

Camera with monitoring and testing of camera shutter operations


A method, a system, a server, and a computer program product are provided for Multimedia Capability discovery of different user terminals. Unnecessary use of the radio interface is avoided based on a network storage, which is accessible without registration to find out about the calling as well as the called user's multimedia capabilities during a voice call. If there is a positive capability discovery result out of this for both users, the system sends a message to each of the user terminals that they should notify the users, e.g., by displaying an icon above a soft button. There is no need for establishing a packet switched session, which uses a lot of radio interface signalling, until the Multimedia Service capability of both subscribers and their user terminals is investigated and responded to both user terminals and their users.

Multimedia services are foreseen to bring new revenues to the cellular operators running either or both 3G WCDMA and 2.5 G GSM networks. Since plain circuit voice will be an important source of revenue still for many years, the market is developing services 'beyond' voice. These are multimedia applications that for example includes a normal voice call but add another media in parallel to that speech call, so that the two mobile users can both talk and visually share another media at the same time. This shared media may be a still image, a 1-way live video, text or game. This type of shared services we herein call Shared Multimedia (SMM) services.
Shared multimedia services requires that a user terminal, e.g. a mobile phone, is capable of running both a standard circuit switched voice call and a packet switched IP session at the same time, besides hosting the client that makes up the application logic.
A highly wanted feature by operators is that mobile users can e.g. visually see from their phone display, which—if any, Shared Multimedia services that are applicable within the ongoing voice call. If the remote user and the calling user both have the capability to use one or several shared multimedia services, one or several icons could be enlightened in the display of both user's mobile phones. This type of capability check we herein call the shared multimedia capability discovery process.
However, the de-facto capability discovery solution discussed currently in standardisation, is oriented around letting the mobile phone initiate a packet switched based mobile capability check towards the remote mobile phone, just after the voice call has been established. This means that a capability discovery check will take place over the radio interface for all mobile-mobile calls, irrespective of whether or not the remote user has the SMM capability.
The problem lies with finding a mobile capability discovery method that is optimised from a radio resources perspective. Hence, the capability discovery process and results should only be passed over the radio interface when absolutely necessary and unavoidable. Thus, the capability discovery mechanism shall not be invoked in mobile-to-non-mobile voice calls and it shall not be invoked for not SMM-capable mobile phones or for users who are not allowed to use the service even though their mobile phones has the capability technically.
A user terminal uses a packet-switched IP session to send a capability query message from the initiating terminal to the other terminal. The packet switched IP session uses radio resources. This means that a query has to be initiated in the beginning of every phone call to determine if one of the two terminals supports SMM. The probability that both terminals support SMM will however be very low for many years. Therefore, a lot of radio traffic over the capacity limited radio interface will be generated unnecessarily.
Thus, one object is to provide a method and a system for Multimedia Capability discovery that avoids unnecessary use of the radio interface and resource.
Yet another object is to provide a solution to the problem to discover if a called User terminal supports Shared Multimedia service if the service is based on other technologies than IP multimedia subsystem (3GPP IMS), for example MMS technology.

Method and communication system for automatically discovering the common multimedia service capability


A method is described for a method for the regioselective liquid-phase pegylation of GRF, which increases the yield of the GRF-PEG conjugate having 1 PEG molecule covalently bound to the e-amino group of Lys12. This method is characterized in that the reaction is carried out in a structuring solvent, such as trifluorethanol.

In the early 1980's several groups isolated and characterized growth hormone releasing factor (GRF).
GRF (also called Somatorelin) is a peptide secreted by the hypothalamus, which acts on its receptor and can promote the release of growth hormone (GH) from the anterior pituitary. It exists as 44-, 40-, or 37-amino acid peptide; the 44-amino acid form may be converted physiologically into shorter forms. All three forms are reported to be active, the activity residing mainly in the first 29 amino acid residues. A synthetic peptide corresponding to the 1-29 amino acid sequence of human GRF [GRF(1-29)], also called Sermorelin, has been prepared by recombinant DNA technology as described in European Patent EP 105 759.
Sermorelin has been used in the form of acetate for the diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone deficiency.
GRF has indeed a therapeutic value for the treatment of certain growth hormone related disorders. The use of GRF to stimulate the release of GH is a physiological method in promoting long bone growth or protein anabolism.
One problem associated with the use of GRF relates to its short biological half-life (about 12 to 30 minutes). The GRF(1-29)-NH2 is subject to enzymatic degradation and is rapidly degraded in the plasma via dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPP-IV) cleavage between residues Ala2 and Asp3.
It is therefore advantageous to develop biologically stable, long acting GRF analogues using specific chemical modification of GRF, in order to prevent or slow down enzymatic degradation.
Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a hydrophilic, biocompatible and non-toxic polymer of general formula H(OCH2CH2)nOH, wherein n≧4. Its molecular weight could vary from 200 to 20,000 Dalton.
It has been demonstrated that the chemical conjugation of PEG in its mono-methoxylated form to proteins and/or peptides significantly increases their duration of biological action. Like carbohydrate moieties in a glycoprotein, PEG provides a protective coating and increases the size of the molecule, thus reducing its metabolic degradation and its renal clearance rate.
PEG conjugation is an already established methodology for peptide and protein deivery pioneered by the fundamental studies of Davis and Abuchowski (Abuchowski et al., 1977a and 1977b). PEG conjugation to peptides or proteins generally resulted in non-specific chemical attachment of PEG to more than one amino acid residue. One of the key issues with this technology is therefore finding appropriate chemical methods to covalently conjugate PEG molecule(s) to specific amino acid residues.
Various PEG-protein conjugates were found to be protected from proteolysis and/or to have a reduced immunogenicity (Monfardini et al., 1995; and Yamsuki et al., 1988).
One approach was recently proposed for the site-specific conjugation of PEG to low molecular weight peptides, such as GRF, which was prepared by solid-phase peptide synthesis. In these conjugates a pegylated amino acid, prepared in advance, was introduced into the peptide sequence during the solid-phase synthesis. This procedure, however, dramatically complicates product purification that is known to be the critical step in solid phase synthesis. The presence of PEG, for its high molecular weight and its polydispersivity, is likely to yield final products with unacceptable impurities and/or products with missing amino acids, the latter being considered to occur commonly in the Merrifield procedure.
Mono-pegylation, meaning that only one PEG molecule is attached, using solid-phase synthesis to specific amino acid residues of [Ala15]-GRF(1-29)-NH2 has been recently reported in the literature (Felix et al., 1995). This study shows that [Ala15]-GRF(1-29)-NH2 pegylated at residues 21 or 25 retains the fill in-vitro potency of the parent [Ala15]-GRF(1-29)-NH2. There is however no in-vivo data to show whether these pegylated conjugates exhibit a longer duration of action with respect to the non-pegylated counterpart.
More recently, it has been demonstrated (Campbell et al., 1997) that the attachment of PEG with different molecular weights to the C-terminus of several analogs of GRF, again using solid-phase synthesis, had enhanced duration of action in both pig and mouse models as compared to the non-pegylated counterpart.
EP 400 472 and EP 473 084 disclose PEG derivatives obtained by using specific activated PEG derivatives. In the Examples also GRF is made to react with such activated PEG derivatives, however the specific GRF-PEG which are obtained according to such patent applications are not exactly identified nor in any way characterized. There is no mention of a specific PEG attachment site.
WO 99/27897 discloses a method for the site-specific preparation of GRF-PEG conjugates containing one or more than one PEG units (per GRF) covalently bound to Lys12 and/or Lys21 and/or Nα, characterized in that the conjugation reaction between the GRF peptide and activated PEG is carried out in solution and the desired GRF-PEG conjugate is purified by chromatographic methods. According to such patent application the solvent was selected from the group consisting of a highly concentrated nicotinamide aqueous solution, a buffered aqueous solution of a defolding agent (such as urea) or a polar organic solvent selected among dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethyl formamide/buffer or acetonitrile/buffer. Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was mainly used in the Examples.


In a three-piece solid golf ball of the three layer structure consisting of a solid core, an intermediate layer, and a cover, the solid core has a distortion of at least 2.5 mm under a load of 100 kg. The Shore D hardness of the intermediate layer is at least 13 degrees higher than the Shore D hardness of the cover. The ball as a whole has an inertia moment of at least 83 g-cm.sup.2. The desirable properties of spin, feel, control and rolling are obtained.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a three-piece solid golf ball of the three layer structure consisting of a solid core, an intermediate layer, and a cover. The invention provides a golf ball having the desirable properties of spin, feel, control and distance.
2. Prior Art
Golf balls which have been commercially available for decades include solid golf balls having a solid core enclosed with a cover of synthetic rubber and wound golf balls having a wound core (obtained by winding thread rubber around a liquid center) enclosed with a cover of natural rubber, typically balata rubber and synthetic rubber. While solid golf balls having a cover of synthetic rubber featuring added distance and durability enjoy widespread use, many professional golfers still favor a wound golf ball having a cover of balata rubber, which is simply referred to as wound balata ball, hereinafter.
The reason is that the wound balata ball has superior hitting feel and spin control to the remaining golf balls. Although professional golfers seek a golf ball offering a longer flight distance, they seldom consider distance as the first condition for ball selection, but place more stress on hitting feel and spin control.
In order to produce a golf ball which not only complies with such professional golfers' needs, but is also suited for ordinary golfers' play, various proposals have been made on solid golf balls so as to impart the desirable properties of distance, feel and spin control. For example, JP-B 4110/1993 and JP-A 319830/1994 disclose a two-piece solid golf ball which has a good feel and is improved in control by adjusting spin property. Also proposed were three-piece solid golf balls of the three layer structure consisting of a solid core, an intermediate layer, and a cover as disclosed in JP-A 92372/1983, 24085/1995, 343718/1994, 194735/1995, 194736/1995 and 239068/1997. There were proposed many three-piece solid golf balls which are designed to improve feel and control.
Despite such improvements, many players still use the wound balata ball because the solid golf balls proposed thus far have not reached the feel and spin control levels above which these players are satisfied. In particular, spin control is one of the most important factors for the performance of golf balls. It is thus strongly desired to improve the spin control of solid golf balls without detracting from the remaining properties of distance and feel.
The spin property of solid golf balls can be improved to some extent by making the cover soft. The soft cover, however, lowers the resiliency of the ball, resulting in a reduced flight distance. That is, the superior flight performance characteristic of solid golf balls is lost.
In general, golf clubs used for distance shots such as a driver and long irons have a small loft angle whereas golf clubs used for aiming at the pin or a target such as short irons have a large loft angle and are designed to stop the ball at the desired position rather than distance. When a golf ball is hit with a golf club, the ball receives both a force acting perpendicular to the club face and a force acting parallel to the club face depending on the loft angle. The perpendicular force contributes to deriving resiliency from the ball whereas the parallel force contributes to spinning the ball. On shots with driver and long iron clubs having a small loft angle, the perpendicular force becomes greater while the parallel force is relatively weak. These clubs are designed for distance by imparting an appropriately suppressed spin rate, a relatively low trajectory, and greater resiliency. Inversely, on shots with short iron clubs having a large loft angle, the parallel force becomes greater while the perpendicular force is relatively weak. These clubs are designed to give a greater spin to the ball rather than distance.
Therefore, simply increasing a spin rate is not sufficient. It is desired that upon shots with driver and long iron clubs, a flight distance is ensured by an appropriately suppressed spin rate which restrains flight distance shortage and wind influence which are otherwise caused by the lofting of the ball by spin (to follow a higher trajectory than necessary). Upon shots with short iron clubs for aiming at the target, the ease of control is ensured by a sufficient spin rate leading to a relatively high trajectory and a reduced run or roll after the ball lands. Sufficient in-flight retention of the spin rate given by a strike is also important for the flight distance to be increased and for the spin control to be effective.
Another problem arises upon putting. Unlike ordinary shots to drive the ball into flight, putting rolls the ball on the green so that the ball may readily change its path by angulation on the green. Since putting directly aims the hole, successful putting improves the score and vice versa. What is desired in this regard is a golf ball which rolls well and goes straight upon putting without being affected by subtle angulation.


A method and apparatus for testing of semiconductor chips. The method and apparatus having a fixture which includes electrical contacts and thermal contacts. The electrical contacts are configured to drive each of the chips in an operating or stressed condition. The thermal contacts are configured to maintain the chip at a desired temperature during testing.

Semiconductor chips are tested for defects after their fabrication and before sale or installation in an optoelectronic module. In one known method of testing, a laser chip is mounted to a submount/heat sink, the chip-on-submount assembly is bonded to a metal stud to facilitate handling, the chip-on-submount assembly with its stud is mounted in a temperature controlled environment and the chip is contacted with electrodes carrying electrical current to perform a purge test. In that test method, those operations are performed by human operators.
That known approach to testing of semiconductor chips has considerable disadvantages. Because each semiconductor chip is tested individually, the testing is time consuming and costly. Moreover, because semiconductor chips are tested by a human operator, the quality and consistency of the testing, and, in particular, the thermal contact of the chip and submount/heat sink and the electrical contact of chip and the electrodes, vary greatly and depend on the ability of the operator. Thus, there exists a need in the art for an efficient, automated method and apparatus for consistently and reliably testing semiconductor chips without dependence on consistency of a human operator.


The present invention is to drive a hydraulic pump and a generator motor by an engine, to electrically charge a battery by a generator action of the generator motor, and to drive the generator motor by electric power of the battery so as to assist the engine. A governor position is changed by operations of a potentiometer for accelerator and a mode selection switch so as to control rotation speed of the engine. On the premise of the above configuration, generator output is limited by a controller at the time of accelerating the engine until the rotation speed of the engine reaches set speed determined on the basis of the operations of the potentiometer for accelerator and the mode selection switch, and hence engine load is reduced so as to assist acceleration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hybrid working machine using both engine power and electric power.
2. Description of the Related Art
THE RELATED ART will be described taking an excavator of a preferred example of the present invention as an example.
The excavator is, as shown in FIG. 6, formed by rotatably mounting an upper rotating body 2 on a crawler type lower traveling body 1 and attaching a working attachment 3 to the upper rotating body 2.
The working attachment 3 is formed by a boom 4 capable of raising and lowering, an arm 5 attached to an end of the boom 4, a bucket 6 attached to an end of the arm 5, a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8 and a bucket cylinder 9 serving as hydraulic actuators for driving the boom, the arm and the bucket.
As an actuator for rotating the upper rotating body 2, a hydraulic motor is used in the case of a hydraulic excavator, and a rotation motor serving as an electric actuator is used in the case of a hybrid excavator.
In the hybrid excavator, there is a known hybrid excavator having a so called parallel type drive mode (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei11-13548).
In the above type, a hydraulic pump and a generator motor for performing a generator operation and a motor operation are connected to an engine serving as a common power source in parallel so as to drive a hydraulic actuator by the hydraulic pump, and meanwhile to drive a rotation generator by the generator operation of the generator motor or an electric storage device.
The electric storage device is electrically charged by a generator action of the generator motor. The generator motor timely performs a motor action by discharge power of the electric storage device so as to assist the engine.
Meanwhile, rotation speed of the engine is controlled by operating accelerator operating means and hence changing a governor position (a fuel injection amount), and in general, a power generation amount of the generator motor is changed in accordance with the governor position and a load level (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-150305).
It should be noted that as a method for controlling the rotation speed of the engine, there is a general method for controlling and making actual rotation speed of the engine to be target rotation speed in relation to an accelerator operation amount (governor position) on the basis of the time of no load, and changing the rotation speed of the engine in accordance with a governor characteristic at the time of load imposed. However, there is sometimes a case where the actual rotation speed of the engine is controlled so as to correspond to the target rotation speed irrespective of the load (refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-12259).
In the above hybrid excavator, at the time of operating the generator of the generator motor (at the time of electrically charging the electric storage device), even if the operation is stopped, there is a state that the load is imposed on the engine by the generator action.
Therefore, in the case where an accelerating operation of the engine is performed in the above state, it is not possible to use torque which is sufficient for accelerating the engine and hence it takes time for the acceleration.
Moreover, by the accelerating operation, control for increasing a power generation amount in accordance with the governor position is performed as mentioned above. Therefore, the rotation speed of the engine is not increased while the engine load is further increased. As a result, there is a possibility that the engine cannot be accelerated or engine failure is caused.

Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.