A hazard warning or weather radar system or method can be utilized to determine a location of ice. The system and method can be used in an aircraft. The aircraft weather radar system can include a radar antenna and a processor. The radar antenna receives radar returns. The processor can: 1. identify on a display a region of potential ice associated with a blow off region in response to the radar returns, temperature data, and wind data; 2. identify on a display a region of potential ice associated with a stratiform region in response to radar returns, temperature data, and a history of convective cells in the stratiform region; or 3. perform both 1 and 2.

This application relates generally to the detection of ice or ice crystals in the atmosphere.
Hazardous weather is generally associated with convective weather cells. Convective weather cells can produce turbulence, high winds, lightning, hail, and other weather hazards. In addition, convective cells can provide large updrafts that loft large amounts of moisture to higher altitudes (e.g., high portions troposphere). The moisture can be super cooled liquid at temperatures much colder than the freezing point of water because the water was lofted quickly by the updraft and has not encountered condensation nuclei upon which to crystallize as ice.
Non-convective rain clouds (e.g., stratiform rain) can also include ice crystals. Non-convective rain clouds are striated with temperature. At low altitudes where the temperature is above the freezing point, liquid water is present as rain. At high altitudes where the temperature is below the freezing point, ice crystals form.
Conventional aircraft hazard weather radar systems, such as the WXR 2100 MultiScan™ radar system manufactured by Rockwell Collins, Inc., have Doppler capabilities and are capable of detecting at least four parameters: weather range, weather reflectivity, weather velocity, and weather spectral width or velocity variation. The weather reflectivity is typically scaled to green, yellow, and red color levels that are related to rainfall rate. The radar-detected radial velocity variation can be scaled to a turbulence level and displayed as magenta. Such weather radar systems can conduct vertical sweeps and obtain reflectivity parameters at various altitudes and can detect the presence of ice using reflectivity parameters and temperature. However, such detection of ice cannot be performed at longer ranges. In some embodiments, the radar may be a single frequency radar (e.g., X-band radar) or a multi-frequency radar (e.g., a radar with both X-band and Ka-band frequencies). In some embodiments, the single or multi-frequency radar may include polarization diversity capabilities.
Ice or ice crystal formation at high altitudes can pose various threats to aircraft. Flying through ice or ice crystal formation at high altitudes can cause engine roll back, engine stall, engine flameout, and incorrect airspeed measurements. Detecting areas of ice and ice crystal formation at longer ranges is desirable so that pilots can avoid such areas.
Thus, there is a need for a system and method for more accurate, long range detection of ice and/or ice crystals high in the troposphere. There is also a need for inferring the existence of ice and/or ice crystals based on the detection and analysis of convective cells or hazards associated therewith. There is also a need to distinguish highly convective ice crystal formation areas form non-convective stratiform rain areas that do not produce high altitude ice crystals. Further still, there is a need to detect and locate convective cells by measuring the amount of moisture (e.g., liquid water, such as total water content) present at altitudes where the temperature is below the freezing point. Yet further, there is a need for a aircraft hazard warning system optimized to determine the location and presence of large areas of high altitude ice resulting from convective cell blow off. Further, there is a need for a aircraft hazard warning system that includes inferential ice detection and location.
It would be desirable to provide a system and/or method that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.


The proposed variable length coder can detect the start codes appropriately, while reducing the circuit scale thereof. The variable length code decoding apparatus, comprises: an interface section (2) having a plurality of registers (R20, R21, R22) each having a predetermined number of bits, for storing variable length code data in each of the registers in first-in first-out status; a shift circuit (3) for receiving data transferred from a predetermined number of the adjacent registers of the interface section and for shifting the received data by a number of bits corresponding to an applied shift signal, to select a start code head; and a start code detecting circuit (6) for executing detection operation by receiving data supplied from a predetermined number of the adjacent registers of the interface section, by detecting presence or absence of a start code on the basis the received data kept in byte-aligned status to output a start code presence and absence signal, and by outputting a start code shift length signal indicative of a byte from which a head bit of the start code begins in unit of byte, the start code shift length signal being applied to the shift circuit as the shift signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a variable length code decoding apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, various picture data compression techniques have been adopted. In any of these picture data compression techniques, picture data once compressed are used again after having been returned to the original picture data by extending the compressed picture data.
As one of the picture data compression and extension techniques, there exists a moving picture data compression and extension technique referred to as MPEG2 (ISO/IEC 13818-2) standard. Although not described in detail herein because being well known, this standard is disclosed in Latest MPEG Textbook! by Hiroshi FUJIWARA, 1st Edition, Published by ASCII Publication Department on Aug. 1, 1994, for instance.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of a decoding circuit for decoding coded signals coded compressed in accordance with the MPEG standard. In the circuit shown in FIG. 3, a vdv buffer (DRAM) is added for explanation to a circuit disclosed by Data Compression and Digital Modulation! of NIKKEI ELECTRONICS BOOKS, on page 96, Published by NIKKEI BP Corp. Oct. 10, 1993.
This circuit operates as follows: when intra-frames obtained by coding intra-frame picture signals are decoded, a switch SW.sub.1 is switched to the "a" side. On the other hand, when predicted-frames/interpolated frames obtained by coding inter-frame picture signals are decoded, the switch SW.sub.1 is switched to the "b" side to add the differential picture data to the predicted picture data. In the case of the predicted frame decoding, since the switch SW.sub.1 is set to the "b" side, the decoded picture data are stored in a frame memory A at the same time when outputted. In this case, the picture data stored in the frame memory A are transferred to a frame memory B. Further, in the case of the interpolated frame decoding, a switch SW.sub.2 is set to any position of "c", "e" and "d" according to the frame prediction direction (forward /backward /both forward and backward).
When the coded signals compressed as described above are decoded, start codes are used. In more detail, since the compressed picture data are of hierarchical construction, a start code corresponding to each hierarchy is always placed at the start of each hierarchy. Therefore, when picture data are decoded, it is necessary to detect the start codes accurately. Here, two positions at which the start codes are detected can be considered in the circuit shown in FIG. 3. One position is a node "a" immediately before picture data (coded signals) are inputted to a so-called decoder body, and the other position is a node "b" immediately before the start codes are used for processing. In the case of the detection at the node "a", when the start code is byte-aligned, the start codes can be detected by use of a small-scaled circuit construction. In this case, however, since these detected start codes are once stored in the vdv buffer, a circuit for predicting the time at which the detected start codes are to be used is required. Further, where a plurality of start codes are stored in the vdv buffer, a circuit for deciding which detected output corresponds to the start code is required. As a result, the number of circuit elements inevitably increases.
In contrast with this, in the case of the detection at the "b" node, no prediction circuit is required. However, since the inputted picture data to be detected have been shifted irregularly in order to form the fixed length conversion output signals on the basis of the variable length picture data, the byte alignment has been already destroyed. Therefore, the start codes must be checked over all the pattern in unit of bit. Accordingly, the scale of the detecting circuit becomes as large as eight times, as compared with the node "a" detection at which the start codes can be detected in the byte alignment state.
FIG. 4 shows a prior art start code detecting circuit used for the node "b" detection. Although not described in detail herein because being well known, in brief, this circuit shown in FIG. 4 detects the start codes after the picture data have been converted into fixed length data. In more detail, 34-bit data already converted by a barrel shifter 11 are stored in two registers 12 and 13, respectively, and then inputted to a circuit 14 composed of 32 sets of 24-input OR circuits. The output of this circuit 14 is inputted to a 32-input OR circuit 15 to detect the start code. Therefore, the number of elements required for these circuits 14 and 15 also inevitably increases. Here, however, in the case of the "b" node detection, when the shifted data are checked one by one, although the number of circuit elements can be minimized, since the processing time of the entire picture processing LSI increases excessively, it is impossible to realize the real time decoding.
As described above, in the prior art variable length code decoding circuit as shown in FIG. 3, when the start codes are detected at the node "a", there exists a problem in that since the start codes are detected excessively earlier than actually used, the detected start codes are difficult to be used for the succeeding processing. Or else, when the start codes are detected at the node "b", there exists a problem in that since the data to be detected have been already converted into fixed length, the detected start codes are easily detected.

Variable length code decoding apparatus having parallel start code and shift operations


Nonaqueous coating material compositions comprising at least one polyhydroxyl and (per)fluoroalkyl group-containing poly(meth)acrylate component (A), at least one polyisocyanate group-containing compounds (B), and one or more catalysts (D). Also provided are multistage coating methods using the coating material compositions, and also the use of the coating material compositions as a clearcoat material and for coating of wind energy systems or aircraft, or parts thereof, more particularly as an anti-icing coating.

Nonaqueous coating materials based on fluorine-containing polymers are well established for a large number of very different end-use applications.
Thus, for example, EP-B-856 020 describes nonaqueous clearcoat materials based on fluorine-containing polyacrylate binders and on polyisocyanate group-containing crosslinking agents, these coating materials being curable to oil-, soiling-, and water-repellent coatings and being useful for the coating of vehicles, such as subway cars, trains, buses, and the like, industrial systems, such as tanks, buildings, and other edifices, for example. The clearcoat materials serve more particularly for the coating of buildings, buses, trains and other objects where graffiti is a problem, since the resultant coatings are easily cleaned and also offer high resistance toward soiling. To prepare the fluorine-containing polyacrylate binders, ethylenically unsaturated compounds are used that have fluoroalkyl groups, such as fluoroalkylethyl (meth)acrylates or 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfo-amido)ethyl methacrylate, for example. These fluorine-containing monomers, though, have to be added on their own and separately from the remaining monomers, and this makes the binders decidedly costly and inconvenient to prepare.
Moreover, information as to how it is possible to obtain surfaces which have a high hydrophobicity which is as long-term as possible and which at the same time have a very high mechanical and photochemical stability, such surfaces being required, for example, for the coating of rotor blades for wind energy systems, is no more present in that specification than is information as to how to ensure extremely rapid assembly strength and good repair adhesion. Nor is there any information as to how these qualities can be achieved in as simple and inexpensive a way as possible.
Furthermore, EP-B-856 022 discloses similar coating materials which as well as fluorine-containing polyacrylate binders comprise polyisocyanate crosslinkers in which 0.1 to 33 mol % of the isocyanate groups have been reacted with perfluoroalcohols. In the preparation—described therein—of the fluorinated polyisocyanates, high fractions of difluorinated and trifluorinated polyisocyanates are expected as well as monofluorinated polyisocyanates, and the di- and trifluorinated polyisocyanates may migrate to the film surface and hence adversely affect the overall visual appearance, the hardness, the chemicals resistance, and other mechano-technological properties of the resultant coating.
Fluorine-containing clearcoat materials are also described in WO05/030892, the binders in these clearcoat materials being fluorine-containing polyacrylates which also contain organosilane monomers in copolymerized form. The fluorine-containing polyacrylates are obtained in turn by copolymerization of ethylenically unsaturated compounds having fluoroalkyl groups, such as fluoroalkylethyl (meth)acrylates or 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfoamido)alkyl (meth)-acrylate, for example.
WO05/030891 discloses fluorinated clearcoat materials having improved clearcoat/clearcoat adhesion, these materials comprising not only a fluorinated silane polymer based on copolymerized ethylenically unsaturated compounds having fluoroalkyl groups, such as fluoroalkylethyl (meth)acrylates or 2-(N-ethylperfluorooctanesulfoamido)alkyl (meth)acrylates, for example, but also a fluorinated polyurethane resin for promoting adhesion. This resin is obtainable by reacting a polyisocyanate with a perfluorinated monoalcohol and with an oligomeric and/or polymeric polyether polyol, such as ethoxylated/propoxylated glycol, and does not contain any remaining free isocyanate groups.
WO05/080465 describes abrasion-resistant and alkali-resistant coatings that are easy to clean and are obtained using coating materials which in addition to a curable binder system and inorganic particles comprise at least one fluorine-containing oligomer or polymer having at least one functional group which is reactive with a functional group of the binder system. The fluorine-containing polymer or oligomer used comprises, for example, fluorinated polyethers, fluorinated epoxides, fluorinated polyurethanes, and fluorine-containing polymers, the fluorine-containing polymers being prepared using commercial fluoromonomers, such as tetrafluoroethylene, vinylidene fluoride, and the like.
WO07/115752 describes two-component aqueous hybrid reactive-resin systems based on polyurethane, with an epoxide/amine curing mechanism, which are used in the construction and industrial sectors for the production of easy-to-clean coatings which feature high mechanical robustness. These coating materials may optionally comprise amino- and/or hydroxy- and/or mercapto-functional, fluorine-modified macromonomers or telechelics.
Furthermore, WO05/007762 describes aqueous, optionally fluorinated polyurethane hybrid dispersions with covalently bonded fluorinated side chains, which can be introduced via the polyurethane basis and/or via radically polymerizable, fluorine-containing monomers. Using these polyurethane hybrid dispersions it is possible, by virtue of the high crosslinking density in conjunction with high hardness, to produce soiling-repellent coatings having good mechanical properties and good solvent resistance and chemicals resistance, these coatings being suitable for a very large number of different end uses.
WO08/040428 as well discloses fluorine-modified polyurethane coatings especially in the construction and industrial sectors for the permanent oil-, water- and soiling-repellent coating of mineral and non-mineral substrates.
Moreover, EP-A-2 085 442 discloses aqueous coating materials which are based on fluorosilane components and are used for the permanent oil-repellent and water-repellent surface treatment of mineral and non-mineral substrates for a variety of end-use applications.
EP-B-587 667 discloses coating material compositions based on fluorine-containing inorganic polycondensates, and used for coating glass, ceramic, metal, plastics, and paper, more particularly for coating exterior and interior mirrors and also windshields of motor vehicles.
EP-A-1 844 863 describes, likewise, coating materials for producing strongly liquid-repellent coatings, in other words coatings which develop a very large contact angle of 120° to 180° with a reference liquid, such as water more particularly. This is done using coating materials which comprise a polymer and a ceramic material or nanoparticles, and which, accordingly, lead to coatings having a textured surface. Details on the more precise composition of the polymers, however, are absent.
For surface coatings, experiments with comb polymers having fluorinated side chains have already been conducted. In this respect it is known that critical factors in achieving a low surface energy and hence good soiling repellency and water repellency properties include very long fluorinated chains and very short spacers to the main chain, in the form of hydrocarbon groups. Longer spacers, in contrast, lead to much poorer results ("Fluorinated comblike homopolymers: The effect of spacer lengths on surface properties", Saïdi, Salima; Guittard, Frédéric; Guimon, Claude; Géribaldi, Serge; Journal of Polymer Science Part A: Polymer Chemistry, Vol. 43, issue 17, pp. 3737-3747).
Disclosed, furthermore, by Journal of Donghua University (Natural Science), Vol. 35, No. 5, October 2009, pages 547-553 is the production of a fluorinated polyacrylate emulsion by copolymerization of the reaction product of perfluorooctanol, isophorone diisocyanate, and hydroxyethyl acrylate with hydroxyethyl acrylate and octadecyl acrylate, and also the use of the resulting fluorinated polyacrylate emulsion for the coating of cotton fibers.
Chinese laid-open specification CN101020731 A, moreover, describes the preparation of fluorinated acrylate copolymers by reaction of a hydroxyl group-containing acrylate copolymer with the isocyanate group-containing equimolar reaction product of a diisocyanate with a perfluoroalkyl alcohol. These solvent-based fluorinated acrylate copolymers are used to impart water and oil repellency to leather, textile products, and the like.
There are also a multiplicity of other specifications disclosing hydrophobic coating materials for the purpose of producing water-repellent coatings. Thus, for example, EP-B-1 210 396 describes hydrophobic coating compositions for producing anti-icing coatings, said coatings being produced by chemical attachment of particles to a gel, preferably a silica-based gel, with the hydrophobicity of the surfaces being increased physically through the roughness of the surfaces.
WO96/04123 likewise describes hydrophobic coating materials for producing self-cleaning surfaces, where an artificial surface texture composed of elevations and depressions is generated, and the elevations consist of hydrophobized materials. Teflon, for example, is used for this purpose.
It is known, moreover, from WO2011/147416, for example, that the surface of wind energy systems or parts thereof, especially the rotor blades, may be provided with a strongly hydrophobic coating in order to lessen the attachment of ice, water, and soiling, since the latter may have the effect, for example, of adversely influencing the weight and aerodynamics of the rotor blades and hence reducing the efficiency of the wind energy system. Coating materials recommended include, for example, Teflon, fluoropolyurethanes, epoxy-fluorinated components, siliconized polyureas, or the like. More detailed information concerning the composition of suitable coating materials is absent from that specification as well.
It is also known from WO2011/020876, furthermore, that the surface of wind energy systems or parts thereof, especially the rotor blades, can be given a strongly hydrophobic coating based on fluorinated polyurethanes, or on polyurethanes in a blend with Teflon—again, however, more detailed information concerning the composition of suitable materials is absent from that specification.
It is known, furthermore, from EP-B-1 141 543 that the rotor blades of wind energy systems can be coated with a liquid-repellent coating material in order thus to reduce the noise emissions of wind energy systems. Examples given of suitable coating materials include not only commercial micro-silicone paints but also polyurethane paints developed for marine coating; again, however, more detailed information concerning the composition of suitable coating materials is absent from that specification.

Fluorine-containing nonaqueous coating material composition, coating methods, and the use of the coating material composition


A service layer is provided that is concerned with providing a service. Also, a network layer is provided that is concerned with communicating with devices. The concerns of each layer are separate. For example, the service layer performs the service without worrying about any network dependencies. Also, the network layer is concerned with communicating with devices without worrying about the services that are being performed. These layers, however, are configured to work together such that a result of the service layer is used by the network layer. For example, a service may be performed by the service layer and then the result of the service is communicated to a device using the network layer.

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a service delivery platform and more specifically to a service delivery platform that is separated into a plurality of layers that perform different functions where concerns of one layer are factored out of another layer.
Many different services can be delivered to users. A service delivery platform is typically used to deliver the services to devices used by users that are based on network/service provider resources (e.g. location presence) used in services provided by the service provider or by a third party that uses these features to extend the features of their applications. Different devices can be contacted through various networks and the networks may communicate through different protocols and channels. For example, a wireless network may communicate through protocols such as code division multiple access (CDMA), and general packet radio services (GPRS), wireless fidelity (WiFi), etc. Additionally, different channels may be used to communicate with wireless devices, such as short message service (SMS), multimedia service (MMS), email, instant messaging, etc. Further, in addition to wireless networks, other networks may be used, such as the Internet or other wireline networks, to provide services through different protocols and channels, such as through instant messaging, email, etc. As one can see, there are many different communication options in which to deliver services to users.
A service is typically tailored to deliver results through each different network protocol and channel, or through multiple networks and channels. For example, a service may be offered that provides a location of a device (a global positioning service (GPS)). This service may be provided for many different network protocols and channels. For example, a location service may provide a location for a device communicating through different wireless protocols. Further, the location may be sent to a user using the different channels stated above. In one example, a location may be sent using SMS through a CDMA network to a cellular phone. However, the service provider does not want to be limited to providing services to just this network through this channel. Rather, a service provider would like to provide the service to many different networks and channels, such as through IM, MMS, email, etc. Accordingly, the service is built out such that it can be provided through the many different network protocols and channels.
Each of the different network protocols and channels include different network dependencies that need to be built into the service. For example, the service needs to know how to send an SMS message and an email to a cellular phone, where SMS and email have different requirements. Building the different network requirements, features, capabilities, and interfaces into the service causes the service to become complicated. Also, different network equipment, different technologies, and different resources cause a service provider to adapt the service to different vendors, technologies etc. By entangling all these dependencies with the services, services are either vertically developed for a particular network and technology or are very complicated to develop to cover multiple networks and technologies. In the former case, the services need to be changed when anything changes (e.g., network resources change). In the latter case, the service needs to be changed when a new technology, network, or network resource is introduced that was not considered when the network was developed.
Further, in addition to providing the core service, such as providing a location of a device, the service may provide business services using business rules. For example, a user's account should be charged, privacy rules may need to be adhered to, etc. These business rules need to be built into the core service, which further complicates providing the service. By having the service entangled with the associated business rules, when one of the business rules changes, the service has to be changed. Thus, a service that is directed at providing a location becomes very complicated when the dependencies of the business rules and the network are added into the service.

Factorization of concerns to build a SDP (service delivery platform)


A method and apparatus capable of supporting a wavelength concatenated framing protocol is disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of information networks, and more particularly relates to a method and system for conveying information over a network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Today's networks carry vast amounts of information. High-bandwidth applications supported by these networks include streaming video, streaming audio, and large aggregations of voice traffic, among other such applications. In the future, these demands are certain to increase. To meet such demands, an increasingly popular alternative is the use of lightwave communications carried over fiber-optic cables. The use of lightwave communications provides several benefits, including high bandwidth, ease of installation, and capacity for future growth.
In this new age of data-centric communication networks, the ability to support terabit rate routing in the network core is becoming a more common requirement. In an effort to make terabit routing a reality, such technology needs to be economical, as well as being efficient in design and integration. Ease of use and serviceability are also important. An efficient design involves framing protocols, integrated hardware and software, and network design as a whole. If addressed, such a solution results in a highly economical and deployable communications system.
Over the next five years, the growth projected by major service providers (e.g., UUNet, AT&T and Sprint) in their data (IP) networks is exponential. The architecture of such high-bandwidth backbone networks have, among others, at least three important properties:                1. Such networks tend to be made up of a relatively small number of switching/routing nodes interconnected by very high bandwidth links. The aggregate capacity of each of such links is projected to go beyond 40 Gbps in the near future, with even higher speeds to follow.        2. As the amount of traffic increases, the bandwidth required between these nodes will increase, but the number of nodes is expected to remain relatively constant.        3. These switching nodes tend to be widely dispersed, geographically, with large inter-node distances (e.g., typically over 1000 km).
The synchronous optical network (SONET) protocol is among those protocols employed in today's optical infrastructures. SONET is a physical transmission protocol capable of transmission speeds in the multi-gigabit range, and is defined by a set of electrical as well as optical standards. SONET's ability to use currently-installed fiber-optic cabling, coupled with the fact that SONET significantly reduces complexity and equipment functionality requirements, has given local and interexchange carriers incentive to employ SONET. Also attractive is the immediate savings in operational cost that this reduction in complexity provides. SONET thus allows the realization of high-bandwidth services in a more economical manner than previously existed.
Today, the bandwidth requirements of communications between the core packet switches using SONET have increased from 2.5 Gbps (OC-48 in the SONET standard) to 10 Gbps (OC-192 in the SONET standard) in some cases. Routers with single OC-48- or OC-192-capable port cards and a transport system that can carry such a data rate over a single wavelength have supported these increases.
While the port speeds of routers can (and likely will) be increased beyond 10 Gbps, the transport systems presently in place are unable to transport such high-speed datastreams (e.g., a 40 Gbps (or greater) datastream) using currently-installed fiber-optic cabling, at least without expensive (and frequent) regeneration. This inability to economically transport such higher-speed datastreams (i.e., beyond 10 Gbps) over long distances using currently-installed fiber-optic cabling is an obstacle to deployment of high-speed transport at the network core.
Moreover, the efficiency (the amount of data versus the overall size of a frame) provided by SONET is somewhat less than desirable. A SONET frame provides an efficiency of about 96.2%. This means that 3.8% of the available bandwidth is consumed by overhead (or is unused). In the case of an OC-192 signal, for example, this equates to wasted bandwidth of about 378 Mbps. Given the costs associated with providing bandwidth at such data rates, this overhead represents appreciable lost revenues. While 100% efficiency is unlikely, given that some overhead is typically required, it is still desirable to improve the efficiency provided by available communication channels.
One possible alternative to increasing the bandwidth of the connections between core routers is to grow the existing port count and use multiple ports between routers. Although this seems logical from the perspective of the connection, this alternative is not very scalable or economical because the IP forwarding table per port increases linearly and the total memory required for the forwarding table increases as N2 (where N=number of ports). The large port count also involves larger space and power requirements that add to the cost of this solution.
The definition of a framing protocol and mechanism that support a solution to this predicament are thus required. Such a protocol and mechanism should be efficient and easily implemented in various hardware architectures. Moreover, such a protocol and mechanism should exhibit high functional accuracy that is verifiable via simulations.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Frame structure and method for wavelength concatenated channel framing


Noninvasive instrumentation and procedures have been developed for estimating the apparent age of human and animal subjects based on the irradiation of skin tissue with near-infrared light. The method of age estimation provides additional information about primary sources of systematic tissue variability due to chronological factors and environmental exposure. Therefore, categorization of subjects on the basis of the estimated apparent age is suitable for further spectral analysis and the measurement of biological and chemical compounds, such as blood analytes. Furthermore, age determination of subjects has particular benefit in assessment of therapies used to reduce the effects of ageing in tissue and measurement of tissue damage.

1. Technical Field
The invention relates to the estimation of the apparent age of in vivo skin tissue. More particularly, the invention relates to the instrumentation and method by which the age and general tissue parameters of subjects can be estimated and classified through noninvasive tissue measurements.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Near-infrared (NIR) tissue spectroscopy is a promising noninvasive technology that bases measurements on the irradiation of a tissue site with NIR energy in the 700-2500 nanometer wavelength range. The energy is focused onto an area of the skin and propagates according to the scattering and absorption properties of the skin tissue. Thus, the reflected or transmitted energy that escapes and is detected provides information about the tissue volume encountered. Specifically, the attenuation of the light energy at each wavelength is a function of the structural properties and chemical composition of the tissue. Tissue layers, each containing a unique heterogeneous particulate distribution, affect light absorbance through scattering. Chemical components such as water, protein, fat and blood analytes absorb light proportionally to their concentration through unique absorption profiles or signatures. The measurement of tissue properties, characteristics or composition is based on detecting the magnitude of light attenuation resulting from its respective scattering and/or absorption properties. The chronological age and type and duration of environmental exposure of skin tissue have a pronounced effect on the properties of tissue and is a primary factor in tissue variability between individuals. See, for example, W. Andrew, R. Behnke, T. Sato. Changes with advancing age in, the cell population of human dermis, Gerontologia, vol. 10, pp. 1-19, (1964/65); W. Montagna, and K. Carlisle. Structural changes in ageing human skin, The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, vol. 73, pp. 47-53, 1979. J. Brocklehurst, Textbook of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh and London, pp.593-623 (1973).
Therefore, NIR tissue spectroscopy can be used to detect, quantify, and monitor age related effects in tissue through a noninvasive measurement process. Moreover, NIR tissue spectroscopy has particular benefit in several areas including estimation of blood analytes, assessment and monitoring of therapies. used to reduce the effects of ageing in tissue and diagnosis and quantification of tissue damage.
Blood Analyte Prediction
While noninvasive prediction of blood analytes, such as blood glucose concentration, has been pursued through NIR spectroscopy, the reported success and product viability has been limited by the lack of a system for compensating for structural variations between individuals that produce dramatic changes in the optical properties of the tissue sample See, for example, O. Khalil. Spectroscopic and clinical aspects of non-invasive glucose measurements, Clin Chem (1999) vol. 45, pp.165-77, and J. Roe and B. Smoller, Bloodless Glucose Measurements, Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, vol. 15, no. 3, pp. 199-241 (1998).
These differences are largely anatomical and provide distinct systematic spectral absorbance features or patterns that can be related directly to specific characteristics such as dermal thickness, protein levels, structure of collagen bundles, dermal thinning, hydration, flattening of the epidermal-dermal junction and thickness of the subcutaneous layer. While the absorbance features are repeatable by subject over short periods of time, over a population of subjects they produce confounding nonlinear spectral variation. In addition, the changes of skin tissue of an individual as the result of chronological ageing and/or environmental exposure lead to profound differences in the volume of tissue sampled by the NIR measurement device. Therefore, differences between subjects and within subjects over time are a significant obstacle to the noninvasive measurement of blood analytes through NIR spectral absorbance.
Previously, in the parent application to the current application, S. Malin and T. Ruchti, An Intelligent System For Noninvasive Blood Analyte Prediction. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/359,191, filed Jul. 22, 1999 an apparatus and procedure for substantially reducing this problem by classifying subjects according to major skin tissue characteristics prior to blood analyte prediction was disclosed. The selected characteristics are representative of the properties of the actual tissue volume irradiated and the amount of the target analyte that is sampled. By grouping individuals according to the similarity of spectral characteristics representing the tissue structure, the nonlinear variation described above is reduced and estimation of blood analytes becomes more accurate. Specifically, classification of NIR spectral data according to the apparent age or condition of the tissue will improve the accuracy and robustness of models for estimating tissue/blood parameters, such as blood analytes, through the significant reduction of sample variability without the addition of other measurement devices (see S. Malin and T. Ruchti, An Intelligent System For Noninvasive Blood Analyte Prediction, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/359,191, filed Jul. 22, 1999).
Apparent Ageing of Skin Tissue
The effects of ageing on skin tissue include two separate phenomena: chronological and photo ageing. Chronological ageing is typified by natural changes in the skin over time, such as dermal thinning, changes in level of hydration, flattening of the epidermal-dermal junction and reduced sebum/sweat production.
For example, see A. Oikarinen, Ageing of the skin connective tissue: how to measure the biochemical. and mechanical properties. of ageing dermis, Photodermatology Photoimmunology and Photomedicine (1994) vol. 10, pp. 47-52; N. Fenske, and C. Lober, Structural and functional changes of normal ageing skin, J Am Acad Dermatol (1996) vol. 15, pp. 571-583; M. Gniadecka, and G. Jemec, Quantitative evaluation of chronological ageing and photo ageing in vivo: studies on skin echogenicity and thickness, Br J Dermatol (1998) vol. 139, pp. 815-821.
Photo ageing is an alteration or damaging of skin as a result of sun exposure, manifested by dryness, solar elastosis, irregular pigmentation and fine wrinkling, and is the cause of premature ageing of skin. See, for example R. Stern, The Measure of Youth, Arch Dermatol (1992) vol. 128, pp. 390-393.
Ultrasound has been used to reveal that changes in the upper dermis are related to photo ageing and changes in the lower dermis are related to chronological ageing. See A. Oikarinen, Ageing of the skin connective tissue: how to measure the biochemical and mechanical properties of ageing dermis, Photodermatology Photoimmunology and Photomedicine (1994) vol. 10, pp. 47-52. The upper dermis becomes thicker (solar elastosis) with increased sun exposure and the lower dermis degrades with chronological age. See J. Rigal, C. Escoffier, B. Querleux, B. Faivre, P. Agache, J. Leveque, Assessment of Ageing of the Human Skin by In Vivo Ultrasonic Imaging, Society for Investigative Dermatology (1989) vol. 93, pp. 621-625.
As a result of societal pressure for tanned young skin, pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies have been developing and marketing products that claim to repair the effects of photo-damage to skin and restore skin to its youthful condition. The ability to quantitatively measure the apparent age or condition of tissue is useful in determining the effectiveness of topical drugs used to reverse damage due to photo ageing . See R. Stern, The Measure of Youth, Arch Dermatol, (1992), vol. 128, pp. 390-393. An in vivo, quantitative technique would be of great benefit in assessing the effectiveness of treatments for photo-damaged tissue. See M. Quan, C. Edwards, and R. Marks, Non-invasive In Vivo Techniques to Differentiate Photodamage and Ageing in Hu7man Skin, Acta Derm Venereol, vol. 77, pp. 416-419 (1997).
However, no technique has been reported for quantitatively determining apparent age on the basis of a noninvasive measurement. Existing methods for age determination generally rely on invasive procedures or subjective evaluation. The amount of photo-damage and the effects of age-reversing drugs are typically determined by visual inspection of the skin by a trained individual and subsequent assignment of a grade representing the degree of damage. Several groups have proposed methods using standardized photographs representation the different degrees of sun damage in an attempt to standardize the age ratings. These methods have been found to be subjective and not repeatable. Furthermore, these qualitative methods only provide a surface measurement of the effectiveness of the product being tested and do not provide any information. about true structural or chemical changes in the tissue. See R. Stern, The measure of Youth, Arch Dermatol, vol. 128, pp. 390-393 (1992).
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for non-invasively determining the apparent age tissue, in vivo. A spectroscopic apparatus in conjunction with an optical interface is used to measure tissue properties and characteristics that are manifested spectrally and that vary systematically according to the subject""s age and environmental exposure. A novel method is disclosed that uses in vivo, non-invasive NIR measurements to estimate the apparent age of the skin and/or classify the skin according to predefined age group categories.
The procedure for age estimation employs a calibration model that is empirically derived from a set of exemplary samples consisting of NIR tissue measurements and the actual chronological age of a population of subjects. The model is a set of parameters and computer generated code that is implemented to estimate the subject""s age. The estimation consists of an actual age determination in years and one or more relative property magnitudes that reveal information regarding the tissue properties of the sampled tissue volume.
The apparent age estimate provides a reliable and repeatable quantitative measure of the condition of the skin with respect to the combined effects of chronological ageing and photo ageing. In addition, magnitude of the two types of ageing is deduced from NIR measurements by targeting specific tissue volumes and/or decomposing the measurements through multivariate factor analysis to reveal underlying variation correlated to specific ageing related tissue parameters such as dermal thickness and hydration. The resulting age estimation and/or classification is also suitable for categorization of spectral data prior to blood analyte prediction.

System for the noninvasive estimation of relative age


Disclosed herein are system, method, and computer program product embodiments for providing an adaptive application development environment (ADE). An embodiment operates by receiving a selection of either a simple or complex project type corresponding to an application development environment (ADE). One or more development tools for generating executable code are selected used on the project type. A project view, corresponding to the project type, is generated.

An important part of the application development process is the actual development environment available for developers to write their code. With an increasing number of available technologies and programming languages, each of which often having its own application development environment, developers are forced to overcome learning curves related not only to the new application languages, but also new development environments. Further, developers of more limited programming experience are forced to develop on an identical application development environment as more advanced developers, or vice versa. This one-size-fits-all approach not only creates undue complexity for novice developers in understanding the development environment, but also may provide undesirable simplicity for more experienced developers who may require greater flexibility in their development needs.
In the drawings, like reference numbers generally indicate identical or similar elements. Additionally, generally, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears.

Adaptive developer experience based on project types and process templates


A container wall of paper (10, 22) for a container with a predominantly circular or elliptic cross-section is disclosed. The paper is a highly extensible Kraft paper, preferably with an extension of 5% to 20%. The container wall (10, 22) has at least one inwards or outwards (12, 14, 16, 26) from the periphery (20, 14, 32) extending portion. The containers produced with the container wall may be bottles, cans, jars, disposable, cups, drinking glasses, barrels, and vases. Further, a process of producing a container wall of paper (10, 22) is described. In the process highly extensible Kraft paper is pressed between a hard form providing the shape of the container wall (10, 22), and a matching hard counter form; a soft flexible counter form which under pressure follows the shape of the hard form, and liquid or gas that under pressure forces the paper to follow the shape of the hard form.

Paper containers of today are either folded to form bottom and sidewalls from the same sheet of paper, or folded to form box-like structures, or are formed to have an even cylindrical or conical sidewall and a round plane bottom of paper, metal sheet plate or some plastics. These prior art paper containers are impregnated or coated with different materials to render stiffness to the sidewalls and to form a barrier against liquid contents.
It has now surprisingly been found that it is possible to produce container walls of paper that are comparably rigid without folding.

Container wall of paper and process for producing such a container wall


Techniques for defense against unwanted communications by striking back against the beneficiaries of the unwanted communications include identifying a communication channel to a beneficiary of an unwanted communication and sending a communication via the communication channel to the beneficiary such that the communication imposes a cost to the beneficiary. The cost to the beneficiary may be used to deter further unwanted communication from the beneficiary.

Individuals and organizations may be subjected to the receipt of large amounts of unwanted communication. Examples of unwanted communication include email messages commonly referred to as spam, and telemarketer phone calls and fax calls, etc. Unwanted communication may impose a variety of costs on individuals and organizations. Examples of the costs of unwanted communication include loss of time, productivity, consumption of communication resources, user frustration, etc.
Prior techniques for defending against unwanted communications usually involve message blocking. For example, email programs may include spam filters that deflect, flag, delete, etc., spam email messages. Similarly, telephone systems may be provided with caller ID mechanisms for blocking unwanted phone and fax calls. Likewise, internet service providers may attempt to block transmission channels from known senders of spam email.
Unfortunately, message blocking may fail to stop or even deter the large-scale transmission of unwanted communications. For example, the senders of spam email continue to develop schemes for defeating spam filters and for overcoming attempts to block their transmission channels. In addition, the senders of spam email may be located in jurisdictions that are outside the reach of any legal constraints on spam.

Defending against unwanted communications by striking back against the beneficiaries of the unwanted communications


A core for minimizing the circuit board footprint of a core-based component while also minimizing the total harmonic distortion exhibited by the component. The core includes a back wall portion, a central wall portion, and an outside wall portion. The back wall portion has a front and a back, with a lower end, an upper end, and a pair of sides extending between the lower and upper ends. The central leg portion protrudes from the front of the back wall portion, and the central leg portion is substantially centrally located on the front of the back wall portion. The outside wall portion protrudes from the front of the back wall portion. In one aspect of the invention, the central leg portion is elongated along a first axis extending between the upper and lower ends of the back wall portion. In another aspect of the invention, the central leg portion is spaced from the lower edge of the back wall portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ferrite cores and more particularly pertains to a new ferrite core for minimizing the circuit board footprint of a core-based component while also minimizing the total harmonic distortion exhibited by the component.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of ferrite cores is known in the prior art. The ferrite cores are situated in close proximity to coiled conductors to facilitate the flow of magnetic flux between the coils of a coiled conductor.
Some of the most popular prior art designs for ferrite coils are illustrated in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C. These known core designs typically employ a cylindrical center leg and a horseshoe shaped outer leg. Variations include expanding the center leg along the increased gap, and placing additional breaks in the outer leg to enhance ventilation of the coiled conductor (FIG. 1B), and increasing the gap between the ends of the outer leg (FIG. 1C).
However, factors have combined to make these designs less than optimal for use in applications where circuit board space is at a premium, where the least amount of total harmonic distortion is desirable, and where interference between adjacent components should be minimized.
One area where this is especially true is in signal circuits of telecommunications applications, and one example is in the central telephone office installations of high speed telephone line service providers. The providers employ high-speed telephone line technologies such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), and variations of DSL such as ADSL, HDSL, SDSL, SHDSL, and MDSL, among others, for connecting customers through their conventional telephone lines to the internet and other networks. Because the provider must pay for the space occupied by the circuitry in the central telephone office, the trend has been toward miniaturization of the components mounted on the printed circuit boards of the circuits to minimize the occupied space. Miniaturization of the components not only permits more circuits, or telephone line connection ports, to be mounted on a circuit board, but also permits the circuit boards to be mounted in closer proximity to each other in a mounting rack. Thus, the trend has not only been to make the components smaller overall, but also shorter with respect to the height that the components protrude from the surface of the circuit board so that the boards can be mounted closer together in the mounting racks.
The miniaturization of the components, especially transformer and inductors and the ferrite cores employed in those transformers and inductors, has not been without its drawbacks. Smaller core sizes have required a greater number of conductor turns in the components. Increasing the number of turns in the components results in a number of detrimental effects, such as increased leakage inductance, increased distributive capacitance, increased capacitance between the primary and secondary windings of transformer components, and a general decrease in the bandwidth capacity of the components. Also, the total harmonic distortion exhibited by the newer core designs has been a concern, as well as the handling of DC bias.
In core configurations such as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C, the parts of the channel between the center leg and the outer leg where the width of the channel becomes larger, such as is present in these known cores below the center line (C) of the center leg, are more likely to magnetically saturate and are believed not to contribute significantly to the effective flux carrying capability of the core because the magnetic flux path length is longer than the path length in the parts of the core located above the center line (C).
The ferrite core according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing, provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of minimizing the circuit board footprint of a core-based component while also minimizing the total harmonic distortion exhibited by the component.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of ferrite cores now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new ferrite core construction wherein the same can be utilized for minimizing the circuit board footprint of a corebased component while also minimizing the total harmonic distortion exhibited by the component.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a back wall portion, a central wall portion, and an outside wall portion. The back wall portion has a front and a back, with a lower end, an upper end, and a pair of sides extending between the lower and upper ends. The central leg portion protrudes from the front of the back wall portion, and the central leg portion is substantially centrally located on the front of the back wall portion. The outside wall portion protrudes from the front of the back wall portion. In one aspect of the invention, the central leg portion is elongated along a first axis extending between the upper and lower ends of the back wall portion. In another aspect of the invention, the central leg portion is spaced from the lower edge of the back wall portion.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures. methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.


There is provided a inkjet head, which is provided with a nozzle plate that has a plurality of nozzles from which ink is ejected, and a cover plate that has a plurality of openings respectively corresponding to the plurality of nozzles, the cover plate and the nozzle plate being adhered to each other with an adhesive so that the plurality of nozzles of the nozzle plate respectively communicate with the plurality of openings of the cover plate. Further, a gap is formed between opposed surfaces of the cover plate and the nozzle plate. The gap is filled with the adhesive. The gap has a wide gap portion whose thickness is larger than that of the other portion of the gap.

The present invention relates to an inkjet head employed in printing devices such as an inkjet printer and a facsimile machine.
In general, the inkjet head has a laminated structure including a plurality of thin plates. The plurality of the thin plates includes a nozzle plate through which a plurality of nozzles are formed. In the inkjet head, the plurality of nozzles communicate with pressure chambers, respectively. The inkjet head further has actuator units that operate to apply pressure to each of the pressure chambers.
By the operation of the actuator units, the pressure chamber sucks/ejects ink so that a certain amount of ink is ejected from each nozzle. Each thin plate has openings that constitute an ink flow channels each connecting the nozzle and the pressure chamber.
The plurality of thin plates include a cover plate which is situated on a pressure chamber side of the nozzle plate and which has an opening corresponding to the nozzle. In a manufacturing process of the inkjet head, an adhesive is applied to an adhesive layer between the cover plate and the nozzle plate, so that the cover plate and the nozzle plate are adhered to each other. Typically, to make the adhesive layer thinner, the adhesive having relatively low viscosity is selected and used.
If the amount of the adhesive applied to the adhesive layer between the cover plate and the nozzle plate is less than an appropriate amount, sufficient adhesive force can not be obtained. Further, in such a case, air gaps may be formed in the adhesive layer, and therefore the ink may enter the air gaps. If the ink stays in the air gaps for a relatively long time, the ink in the air gaps may alter its quality, which deteriorates printing quality.
If the amount of the adhesive is too large, a portion of the adhesive applied to the adhesive layer may flow into the nozzle. If such a phenomenon occurs, the portion of the adhesive sets in the nozzle, and thereby ejecting directions of the ink from the nozzles may become nonuniform.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 2000-33699 discloses an inkjet head configured such that a diameter of an opening of a cover plate, which is adhered to a nozzle plate having a nozzle orifice, is broadened. With this structure, the accuracy of ejecting operation of ink is not deteriorated even if a portion of the adhesive flows into a nozzle during a manufacturing process. The diameter of the opening of the cover plate is determined by considering the amount of the adhesive that flows into the nozzle.


A fully-automated handheld pressure calibrator, comprising a housing, and gas circuit and electrical circuit components installed in the housing. The gas circuit components comprise a pressure source capable of supplying a pressurized gas. The gas circuit and electrical circuit components are integrated and installed in the housing in a modular manner, and the shape of the housing is suitable to be held in a hand. The pressure calibrator of the present invention enables all kinds of functions including pressure generation, pressure control, pressure instrument connection, and recording, result calculation, and report output of a pressure calibration process, and is suitable for on-site an on-line calibration of a pressure instrument.

Pressure instruments used in fields such as industrial production and pressure measurements, etc. have to be calibrated periodically, to ensure the pressure instruments detect pressure accurately and ensure the pressure equipment is used within safety limits. As industrial automation is developed rapidly, pressure instruments in production processes are evolved to digital and electrical ones gradually. To calibrate pressure instruments in service, many pressure instruments are usually mounted with a pressure calibration interface and a switching valve in the pressure pipeline, so that the pressure instruments in service can be calibrated in the field without disassembling.
Existing pressure calibrators usually comprise gas circuit components, which include a pressure source capable of supplying pressurized gas. In the calibration process of a pressure instrument in the field, for example, usually a pressure generation device compresses a medium to provide continuously changing pressure required for operation, and the generated pressure is controlled to be stable at a required specific pressure value; the pressure generation device, a pressure control unit, a standard pressure instrument, and a pressure instrument to be calibrated in the field are connected by means of connecting devices into a testing system, which is used to calibrate the pressure instrument in the field; the comparative pressure values of the standard pressure instrument and the calibrated pressure instrument are logged manually, calculations are carried out for the comparative pressure values to ascertain the error range of the calibrated pressure instrument at different pressure values, and finally whether the calibrated pressure instrument complies with the specification is ascertained, and a calibration report is generated, archived, and sent to the user.
Therefore, in such a field calibration process, usually several associated devices or instruments, including a pressure generation device, pressure medium connection and transfer devices, and a pressure data processing device, etc., are required to work with each other to accomplish calibration of the pressure instrument. Pressure instruments are used in industries at complex service locations, even at high altitudes, locations with small space, or highly polluted petroleum or chemical industries, where it is impossible to use the above-mentioned instruments in combination. Calibration apparatuses should be miniaturized and designed into portable or even handheld ones, to relieve the burden on calibration operators and improve operability of calibration processes.
At present, there is no handheld calibrator product that can realize all kinds of functions yet, including pressure generation, pressure control, pressure instrument connection, automatic recording in pressure calibration process, result calculation, and report output.

Fully-automated handheld pressure calibrator

BEIJING CONST INSTRUMENTS TECHNOLOGY INC.


System, devices and methods are described that provide an integrated optical decombiner or optical combiner having both unamplified paths and amplified paths on which power monitoring and control may be located. A preferred multiplexing/demultiplexing optical path through the combiner/decombiner and a corresponding waveguide output/input is identified and optically coupled to a piece of fiber. Temperature control may be provided to tune an arrayed waveguide grating within the combiner/decombiner and minimize wavelength drift therein. Integrated power monitoring may be employed on one or more of the amplified waveguide paths to ensure that a preferred power level or range is maintained on an optical signal.

A. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to integrated optical components, and more particularly, to integrated optical combiners and decombiner, such as a photonic integrated circuit (hereinafter, "PIC"), having a plurality of different input/output configurations.
B. Background of the Invention
The importance of high speed networks, such as optical WDM networks, is well understood by one skilled in the art.
FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary WDM network in which a plurality of wavelength channels is communicated between network nodes. A transmitting node comprises an optical combiner 5 having a plurality of inputs 4 on which wavelength signals are provided. The optical combiner 5 optically multiplexes these wavelengths into a single WDM signal and outputs this WDM signal into a piece of optical fiber 6. An optical fiber span, coupling the networking nodes, may include multiple amplifier nodes 7 that may re-amplify, re-shape, re-time or otherwise process the WDM signal.
A receiving node comprises an optical decombiner 8 having an input on which the WDM signal is received. The optical decombiner optically demultiplexes the WDM signal into its component wavelength signals and outputs these wavelength signals on a plurality of outputs 9. These outputs may be coupled to a plurality of photodetectors that convert the wavelength signals into corresponding electrical signals.
These optical combining and decombining components are traditionally located in relatively large and expensive modules within optical transponders. There is a trend in the optical component field to integrate active and passive optical components on a single monolithic chip, such a silica/SiO2-based chips or InP-based chips in order to reduce the cost of these components. For example, certain optical components may be integrated within a single transmitting photonic integrated circuit (hereinafter, "TxPIC") chip having multiple signal channels, each channel having a modulated optical source for producing channel signals of different wavelengths. A description of an exemplary TxPIC may be found in the published article of Nagarajan et al. entitled, "Large-Scale Photonic Integrated Circuits", IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, Vol. 11 (1), pp. 50-65, January/February 2005. (See also U.S. patent application, entitled "Transmitter Photonic Integrated Circuits (TxPIC) and Optical Transport Networks Employing TxPICs," U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20030095737, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety)
A receiving photonic integrated circuit (hereinafter, "RxPIC") chip is also known in which optical receiving components are integrated into a single monolithic chip. (See U.S. patent application, entitled "Optical Signal Receiver Photonic Integrated Circuit (RxPIC), an Associated Optical Signal Transmitter Photonic Integrated Circuit (TxPIC) and an Optical Network Transmission System Utilizing these Circuits," U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20040033004, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety) In the deployment of an optical receiver, such as an RxPIC, it is oftentimes necessary to provide pre-amplification functionality for the WDM signal prior to it entering demultiplexing and detecting elements. This pre-amplification may be necessary to compensate for attenuation and other losses of a WDM signal that has propagated along an optical link. One function of the pre-amplification is to ensure that the WDM signal power is within a preferred range so that accurate demultiplexing and detection may be performed.
The WDM signal may also experience polarization dependent effects (hereinafter, "PDEs"), such as polarization dependent loss (hereinafter, "PDL") and polarization dependent gain (hereinafter, "PDG"), where the polarization modes of the signal propagating along the fiber randomly vary in relation to time and wavelength. When the WDM signal reaches the receiver, its polarization components may have unknown magnitudes and phases relative to one another.
Optical amplifiers, such as those optical amplifier nodes previously described, are positioned along the link to compensate for signal attenuation and other degradations. These optical amplifiers have traditionally been a fiber amplifier, such as an EDFA; however, semiconductor optical amplifiers (hereinafter, "SOAs") may also be available and designed to provide sufficient gain and low PDEs at designed operational gain level. SOAs are generally considered preferable over EDFAs because EDFAs are bulky, expensive and require optical laser pumps to provide optical stimulation to their rare earth content therein. On the other hand, SOAs are very small in comparison, are amendable to integration, and are pumped by a bias current within the SOA substrate.
With the advent now of integrated optical chips, such as RxPIC and TxPIC chips, it would be desirable to extend integration of the optical amplifiers into the receiver and transmitter chips. However, the integration and sensible realization of these optical amplifiers present certain difficulties. For instance, WDM signals experience different types of degradations in their propagation in metro- and long-haul transmission fibers. These transmission fibers are generally different lengths, which may vary between 10 km-100 km from one node to the next. The pre-amplification requirements of a WDM signal may vary depending on the length of an optical link on which the WDM signal was transmitted and the particular profile of that link. The amount of gain may also depend on how much noise is on the WDM signal and the particular detectors used within the receiver. As a result, it would be preferred to manufacture an integrated receiver circuit that has an integrated input amplifier functionality which can provide different levels of gain and different gain characteristics to the WDM signal.
While a SOA can be biased to provide different levels of gain, the variance of its gain level may cause changes in its PDG so that it will no longer be effective in providing an appropriate gain to certain incoming WDM signals. In fact, if a gain is improperly applied, it may result in further deterioration of the WDM signal. Accordingly, it is important that gain functionality be integrated in which the gain characteristics, beyond just an average applied gain, may be adjusted relative to the optical system and environment in which the chip will function.
There are also situations where it may be desirable to have an integrated receiver chip comprise an input that does not have integrated pre-amplification elements, such as an integrated SOA. Pre-amplification requirements may be obviated by using a link profile to transmit a WDM signal at a particular power profile so that it is received within a desirable power range. Furthermore, external pre-amplification elements may be provided that apply a gain to the WDM signal, obviating the need for integrated amplification functionality.
These same issues may be applied to integrated transmitting chips, such as a TxPIC, in which post amplification may be required. In particular, an amplifier may be required to apply a gain to a WDM signal that was generated by an optical combiner. This post-amplification may be done by an integrated SOA or an external SOA depending on the design of the optical system.
Accordingly, what is needed is a configurable optical combiner and decombiner that may be configured to operate in numerous different types of optical systems and provide both integrated amplified and unamplified waveguide paths.

Configurable integrated optical combiners and decombiners


A screw mounting hole and a female screw part are formed in a bearing part of a gear cover, and the screw insertion hole is formed in the idle shaft. The idle shaft is fixed to the gear cover by inserting a fixing screw through the screw mounting hole and screwing it into the female screw part through the screw insertion hole. A positioning groove in a predetermined position in relation to the screw insertion hole is formed in the end face of the idle shaft. When the positioning groove is disposed perpendicularly to an engine mounting surface and the idle shaft is fitted to the gear cover, the screw mounting hole is opposed to the screw insertion hole and, when the fixing screw is fitted, the confirmation of hole positions and the aligning of holes can be eliminated.

In engines used in automobiles, two-wheeled motor vehicles, and large generators, a starting operation is generally performed by a starter motor mounted on an engine. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an entire configuration of a starter motor 151 described above. The starter motor 151 is mounted on an engine (not shown) at an engine mounting surface 166 on a front side in the figure. The starter motor 151 is provided with an idle gear (middle gear) 152 that is movable in an axial direction and provided in a manner capable of meshing with and being separated from a ring gear (not shown) of the engine. The idle gear 152 is supported by an idle shaft 153 in a manner freely rotatable and movable in the axial direction, and meshes with a pinion (not shown) that is rotationally driven by a motor 154. The pinion is connected to a rotational shaft of the motor 154 via an overrunning clutch.
The idle gear 152 meshes with the ring gear when the engine is started. Along with turning ON of an ignition key switch, the idle gear 152 moves in the axial direction (an upward direction in FIG. 7) from a rest position to mesh with the ring gear, and rotates a crankshaft of the engine. If the engine is started and the number of revolutions of the pinion becomes higher than the number of revolutions of the motor 154, the overrunning clutch achieves an overrunning state, and the idle gear 152 and the pinion are in an idle running state. After the engine is started, the idle gear 152 moves in the axial direction, and is separated from the ring gear. In this manner, meshing between both of the gears is released, and the idle gear 152 returns to the rest position.
On the other hand, in the starter motor 151 described above, the idle shaft 153 is supported by bearing sections 156 and 157 formed on a gear cover 155, and is fixed on the gear cover 155 by an idle shaft fixing screw 158 (hereinafter abbreviated to the fixing screw 158) as shown in FIG. 7. In addition, to a top end section of the idle shaft 153, a dustproof cap 159 made of rubber is attached. FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a configuration of a screw fixing section of the idle shaft 153. As shown in FIG. 8, a female screw section 161 and a screw mounting hole 162 are formed on the same axis line on the bearing section 157 of the gear cover 155. A screw insertion hole 163 is formed on the idle shaft 153 corresponding to the female screw section 161 and the screw mounting hole 162. By screwing the fixing screw 158 in the female screw section 161 via the screw insertion hole 163 from the screw mounting hole 162, the idle shaft 153 is fixed on the gear cover 155.
FIGS. 9 and 10 are explanatory views showing processes of assembling and fixing the idle shaft 153 to the gear cover 155. FIG. 11 is a process chart showing a main assembling process in the above case. In the starter motor 151, an idle gear assembly 165 including the idle gear 152 is arranged on an idle gear mounting section 164 of the gear cover 155. In this state, the idle shaft 153 is inserted through an axis hole formed on the bearing section 156 from an upper end side of the gear cover 155 in the figures. At this time, the idle shaft 153 is inserted in the gear cover 155 in a manner such that the screw mounting hole 162 of the gear cover 155 and the screw insertion hole 163 of the idle shaft 153 match with each other to a certain extent (step (1)).
Next, the idle shaft 153 is inserted through the idle gear assembly 165. Thereafter, the idle shaft 153 is inserted in an axis hole formed on the bearing section 157. Then, positions of the screw mounting hole 162 and the screw insertion hole 163 are checked. In case these positions do not match with each other, the idle shaft 153 is rotated so that the holes are matched with each other (step (2)). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 9, the fixing screw 158 is inserted from the screw mounting hole 162, and then the fixing screw 158 is screwed in the female screw section 161 via the screw insertion hole 163 (step (3)). In this manner, after the idle shaft 153 is fixed on the gear cover 155, the dustproof cap 159 is mounted (step (4)).    Patent Document 1: Jap. Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-239834
However, in the starter motor 151 described above, work is carried out after positions of the screw mounting hole 162 and the screw insertion hole 163 are made to match with each other to a certain extent when the idle shaft 153 is inserted. Nevertheless, when the idle shaft 153 is assembled, both of the holes need to be matched with each other for fixing the shaft with a screw. Then, if the positions of the holes do not match with each other to some extent at the time of screwing, the positions of the holes need to be matched again in a state where the idle shaft 153 is inserted. That is, checking of the positions of the holes and alignment of the holes is necessary at the time of fixing the shaft. Therefore, there has been a problem in which workability is not excellent and also additional steps are necessary to thereby increase the manufacturing cost. In particular, in the starter motor 151 in FIG. 7, the screw insertion hole 163 is positioned at 30° from the engine mounting surface 166 in consideration of interference with other sections. Therefore, alignment is difficult in comparison with a case in which the holes are at positions, such as positions in the right angle, where a reference can be easily set, and improvement in this respect has been required.
In addition, the alignment of holes described above is carried out in a manner such that a P part in FIG. 10 is held to rotate the idle shaft 153 while looking through the screw mounting hole 162 in order to match the screw insertion hole 163 with the screw mounting hole 162. With respect to this point, after the idle shaft 153 is inserted, a width of the P part is narrow and the idle shaft 153 is difficult to rotate, and also a part between the idle gear 152 and the idle shaft 153 is a grease application section which is not preferably touched by a worker for quality reasons. Further, a hand of the worker is stained at the time of alignment, which is not preferable in view of a working environment. In addition, in case the insertion and the screwing of the idle shaft 153 are carried out in an automated line, a step of detecting whether the holes match with each other or not is difficult to be set, and has been an obstacle to automation of assembly of the starter motor 151.
An object of the present invention is to provide a starter motor enabling screwing of an idle shaft to be fixed on a gear cover in a manner such that holes can be aligned easily and accurately when an idle shaft is mounted and such alignment is not carried out again.


An object is to provide a portable radio communication apparatus which allows a user to easily view displayed contents when the apparatus is folded even in the nighttime or in a dark place, and which can extend the battery life. A second case 4 is connected to a first case 2 so as to be in open and closed positions with respect to the first case 2. A main display section 11 which is exposed when the second case 4 is in the open position, a sub-display section 12 which is exposed whether the second case 4 is in the open or closed position, a main illuminating device 23A which illuminates the main display section 11, and a sub-illuminating device 23B which illuminates the sub-display section 12 are provided. A driver 24 which selects a line to supply electric power for illumination to the main illuminating device 23A or the sub-illuminating device 23B, and a detecting switch 22 which detects whether the second case 4 is in the open or closed position, are also provided. A control section 25 is also provided which controls the driver 24, with reference to the detected result, to supply electric power to the main illuminating device 23A when the second case 4 is in the open position, and to supply electric power to the sub-illuminating device 23B when the second case 4 is in the closed position.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable radio communication apparatuses which employ various communication systems, and in particular, the present invention relates to foldable portable radio communication apparatuses.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, portable communication apparatuses which employ communication systems which enable high-speed transmission of data, such as PDC (Personal Digital Cellular), CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access), GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication), and PHS (Personal Handy-phone System), are widely used. In addition, communication systems of the technologies of the next generation, such as WCDMA (Wide-band CDMA) and CDMA2000 are under development.
Among these types of portable radio communication apparatuses, ones having foldable structures so as to improve portability are known. However, a display section of such a portable radio communication apparatus of foldable type can not be seen from the outside when it is folded.
Therefore, there are portable radio communication apparatuses having structures such that the display function is maintained even when they are folded, which are provided with secondary display sections which can be seen from the outside even when the portable radio communication apparatuses are folded, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication (Kokai), No. Hei 6-37697.
However, even in a portable radio communication apparatus of this structure, there has been a problem that the contents on the exposed secondary display section are difficult to read in the nighttime or where illumination is dim.
Accordingly, one may consider providing each display section with a light to illuminate it; however, there has been a problem that such illumination of each display section with a light is a heavy load on the battery, and the battery runs out in a short time.
In addition, because of the provision of the secondary display section, there has been a problem that the above-described conventional portable radio communication apparatus consists of a large number of parts, which cause increase in the size of the case and damage the portability of the apparatus.
In particular, in order to allow each display section to display an image independently, each display section requires a driver which makes the display section display the image, and therefore the number of parts further increases, and the increase in the size was unavoidable.
In addition, with regard to the above conventional portable radio communication apparatus, if the second display section is disposed on the backside of the first display section, for example, a third person can view the second display when the user opens the portable radio communication apparatus in order to see the first display section.
In such a case, if the second display section is left on, there has been a possibility that the displayed contents can be seen, and there has been a problem that privacy may not be protected.


A system includes a controller configured to determine if a combustion engine is operating under a desired rich fuel condition. The controller is also configured, if the combustion engine is operating under the desired rich fuel condition, to monitor a catalytic activity within an ASC assembly that converts NH3 within treated exhaust gases from the combustion engine into N2 to determine whether the catalytic activity has been deactivated in the ASC assembly.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an exhaust aftertreatment system for an internal combustion engine and, more specifically, to monitoring a component of the exhaust treatment system for catalytic deactivation.
Engines (e.g., internal combustion engines such as reciprocating engines or gas turbines) combust a mixture of fuel and air to generate combustions gases that apply a driving force to a component of the engine (e.g., to move a piston or drive a turbine). Subsequently, the combustion gases exit the engine as an exhaust, which may be subject to exhaust treatment (e.g., aftertreatment) systems that include one or more catalytic converters (e.g., three-way catalyst (TWC) assembly, ammonia slippage catalyst (ASC) assembly, etc.) to reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOX), hydrocarbons (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO). However, as some of the catalysts of the catalytic converters age or become deactivated, the effectiveness of the catalysts at reducing emissions may decrease.

Exhaust aftertreatement system with catalytic deactivation monitoring


An improved outdoor cooking apparatus features a specially configured pot with multiple specially configured cooking inserts and burner frame that supports a burner element. One insert is a rack that can be used for cooking one or more whole poultry carcasses. Another insert is a perforated basket that can be used to hold items to be cooked. The pot has a lower tapered section that includes a tapering downwardly sidewall or walls meeting a smaller, generally rectangular bottom panel. The pot has an upper section with a larger transverse cross section than the pot bottom, preferably comprised of generally vertically oriented side all sections. The basket can be correspondingly shaped to the contour of the pot interior.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to outdoor cooking devices that are fueled with gaseous fuel (e.g. propane, butane) and more particularly to an improved outdoor cooking device that can be used in a number of different cooking situations including boiling, steaming, and with water or oil as a cooking medium. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved cooking apparatus that has a specially shaped pot and one or more food holding inserts that can optionally be placed inside the pot. The inserts can include a specially configured insert can hold one or more entire poultry carcasses (e.g. turkey, chicken, etc.).
2. General Background of the Invention
A number of outdoor cookers have been sold commercially for a number of years and are admitted as "prior art" type burners. These "prior art" burners have traditionally included a metallic frame that supports a burner nozzle, such as a cast iron burner nozzle. Such burner nozzles are commercially available and are used to fire most natural gas fired hot water heaters. Examples of these prior art type outdoor cooking devices can be seen in the brochure of Metal Fusion, Inc., of Jefferson, La. and at the website www.kingkooker.com.
Patents have issued naming Norman Bourgeois as inventor that relate to burners and related cooking apparatus. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 5,065,735 for a "Convertible Burner Apparatus" that features different primary burner frames and legs that can elevate the burner frames. Other Bourgeois patents that relate to cooking devices include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,813,321; 5,970,852; and 6,058,830; 6,314,869; 6,439,107; 6,698,335; 6,957,649; and 6,964,273, each said Bourgeois patent hereby incorporated herein by reference.
For a combination cooking arrangement that includes a burner, pot and liner, the user typically places the poultry item in the basket and lowers it into boiling oil using a bail. In the prior art, bails have often been detachable from the basket so that the user can lower the basket into the pot and the contained boiling oil and then remove the handle or bail therefrom. This allows the user to eliminate the transfer of heat from the basket to the handle during the elongated cooking process.
A number of patents have issued that relate to cooking devices and utensils for use in combination with cooking vessels. The Walker U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,135 provides a utensil assembly and kit including same for cooking vessels used in preparing and supporting combustibles above the bottom of the cooking vessel and away from its inner walls. The utensil kit comprises a base supported above the bottom of the cooking vessel, a plurality of support attachments separately detachable and interchangeably mountable on the base for supporting selected combustible products, and releasable latch mechanism having two parts, one part disposed on the base, and the other part is disposed on each of the support attachments for engaging the base. One of the utensils is a poultry support attachment that fits inside the cavity of a chicken or other poultry enabling it to be positioned upright.
The Rappaport U.S. Pat. No. 3,053,169, discloses a poultry supporting device that sits upon a base in the form of a pan.
A rotisserie cooking arrangement is disclosed in the French Patent 2685862.
A roasting support for fowl is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,106,642. The apparatus includes a longitudinally extending rod that extends through the center of the turkey having an eyelet at its upper end.
A roaster for poultry and meat is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,602. The apparatus includes a vertical roasting apparatus wherein a predetermined amount of liquid for generating the moisture required to produce a high quality and flavorful roasting of the meat is included in a reservoir formed within the support structure itself and disposed internally of the poultry or meat being roasted.
A vertical spit for displaying roasting or warming is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,442,999.
A combination outdoor cooker and smoker is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,154. The apparatus includes a cooker having a gas burner coupled to an external gas source through a control valve by a gas supply conduit.
An Austrian patent 217592 discloses a cooking device that has a central member upon which a turkey or chicken is supported during the cooking operation.
British patent 2205734A discloses a device for use in preparing and cooking kebabs that includes walls which are interconnected to define a tube member and into which a first end wall is slidably received to further reinforce the shape formed by the sidewalls and whose end position is determined by the engagement of lips projecting inwardly from the sidewalls. The sidewalls are appertured longitudinally for receiving a knife to cut food within the tube member.
Patents issued to Barbour (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,758,569 and 5,896,810) disclose a cooking apparatus directed to the frying of poultry items such as turkeys.
Various patents have issued for cooking vessels or pots. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 1,276,749 entitled "Cooking Utensil." A similar device can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,488,150 entitled "Steaming and Draining Vessel."
A cooking rack is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,360,026. A combined cooker and steamer is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,720. An electrically heated boiler is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,505. The Lee U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,486 discloses a perforated inner pan that nests completely in a nonperforated open top pan. That U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,486 is entitled "Cooking Utensil."
The McLemore U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,992 discloses a fryer, boiler and steamer cooking apparatus.
Another frying apparatus shown in the Johnston Patent 2005/0051035.
Design Patents D226,940, D237,578, and D402,155 disclose various cookers or fryers.


A display apparatus for displaying video information by superimposing a plurality of images obtained through a plurality of display systems, each being constituted by a light source, a reflection type liquid crystal panel and an optical system, characterized in that the apparatus comprises at least either of system selection means for selecting at least one of the plurality of display systems and modifying means for modifying the attributes of the image obtained through one of the display systems.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display apparatus for displaying characters, still images, moving images and other forms of information and it also relates to a video information display system for which such an apparatus can be suitably used.
2. Related Background Art
In recent years, a variety of handy apparatus adapted for use in multimedia environment have been developed and commercialized. Portable terminals and lap-top computers are among them. These apparatus can be used to retrieve information at locations other than offices and are also provided with capabilities of processing and transmitting information.
However, such apparatus are mostly designed for personal use and not adapted for teleconferences where a large number of attendants discuss subject matters in multimedia environment on the basis of commonly shared visual pieces of information. Thus, despite of the development of such apparatus, people are forced to physically travel over a long distance at the cost of productivity in order to attend a meeting to be held at a single location.
Proposals have been made to "electronize" conferences and realize video conference systems. However, such systems are mostly designed for teleconferences attended by people stationed at different remote locations, where attendants can see each other and look at displayed data but cannot write-in and/or otherwise process data to update the information they have. Probably, this is mainly because no technology is currently available to instantly display updated information with a level of resolution and brightness comparable to that of the overhead projector (OHP) at a reasonable cost. Meanwhile, with a currently known visual telephone system, although two parties located at the opposite ends of the line can look at and talk to each other, neither of them can access the source of information possessed by the other party in order to write, erase and/or otherwise process data for the other party.
As for projection type display apparatus, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 54-139569 discloses a display apparatus comprising a light valve and a schlieren optical system for projecting image as the light valve receives light. It additionally comprises a liquid crystal layer that produces a spheric and periodic structure that diffracts the flux of light directed to the light valve when a voltage is applied to the layer.
The above apparatus operates satisfactorily in terms of diffraction effect so long as the light valve is sufficiently large and a high degree of resolution is not required for it and, at the same time, the cell size of each pixel is large. To the contrary, however, when the light valve is relatively small and required to show an enhanced degree of resolution and still the cell size of each pixel is as small as tens of several micrometers, the diffracting zone is made extremely narrow and no sufficient amount of diffracted light becomes available to remarkably lower the level of brightness and contrast.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 61-167297 discloses a display apparatus comprising a plurality of liquid crystal panels arranged to a multilayer structure in order to display bright images on the screen. However, the apparatus is still unsatisfactory in terms of the absolute brightness of the displayed images mainly because three primary colors are overlaid one on the other for displaying color images.

Video information display system and display apparatus applicable to the same