A method, device and computer program product for transmitting data blocks in an LTE or similar wireless communication system supporting HARQ and TTI bundling, with dynamic TTI bundle sizing is provided. Each TTI bundle includes a number of redundancy versions of a data block, for example differently encoded versions of the data block which can be combined together in accordance with Type-II HARQ. Plural TTI bundles can be transmitted as necessary in accordance with HARQ, for example in response to a NACK. The present technology involves adjusting the TTI bundle size for a given HARQ process, wherein at least two TTI bundles have different sizes. In various embodiments, the TTI bundle size progressively decreases with retransmissions so that the last TTI bundle is not excessively large, thereby reducing resource waste. TTI bundle size adjustment may be implemented in the uplink, downlink, or both.

The LTE protocol currently being developed and implemented provides a high-speed wireless communication network for use by devices such as mobile phones and data terminals. The LTE protocol itself is detailed in various documents, for example as published by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
HARQ processes proposed for LTE transmit blocks of data along with error detection and forward error correction (FEC) bits. In incremental redundancy HARQ, if the errors in a received data block cannot be corrected, the transmitter is informed via Negative Acknowledgement (NACK) and the data block is retransmitted. The retransmission is coded differently from the previous transmissions and retransmissions of the same data block; that is in accordance with a different redundancy version (RV). The receiver may then combine different redundancy versions to improve the probability of successfully decoding the data block. This type of HARQ effectively lowers the coding rate with each retransmission. HARQ effectively improves coverage, however due to signalling and processing delays, only one redundancy version can be transmitted every 8 ms.
TTI bundling has been proposed as a modification to the HARQ mechanism in order to provide improved coverage without dramatically increasing latency and signalling overhead. A detailed overview of TTI bundling can be found in "HARQ Operation in case of UL Power Limitation," Ericsson, June 2007, 3GPP TDoc R2-072630. Essentially, rather than waiting for a NACK before transmitting the next redundancy version of a data block, several redundancy versions are transmitted in consecutive transmit time intervals (TTIs). The HARQ feedback is sent after the last redundancy version of the data block is received. Current implementations specify transmission of four redundancy versions at a time. To preserve backward compatibility, further retransmission (if triggered due to a NACK) is delayed until the 16th TTI after the first redundancy version was sent.
Increasing the TTI bundle size beyond 4 RVs is a possible way to improve coverage. For example, a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) work item entitled "Updated SID on: Provision of low-cost MTC UEs based on LTE" (TSG RAN meeting #57, Chicago, USA, September, 2012, RP-121441), relates to a new study requiring a +20 dB improvement in coverage for LTE systems. To obtain such a +20 dB improvement through TTI bundling would require a TTI bundle size of 400 RVs.
The current implementation of TTI bundling and HARQ mechanisms of LTE is heavily influenced by the need to transmit voice conversations, for example via Voice over IP (VoIP). For these implementations, a fixed TTI bundle size is logical since there is a very limited delay tolerance and typically no time to perform more than one HARQ retransmission.
Therefore there is a need for a new data transmission mechanism.
This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present technology. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present technology.

Method and device enabling a dynamic bundle size HARQ mechanism


A motorcycle includes a main switch, a main switch wiring connected to the main switch and extending downward from the main switch, and a headlight stay for supporting a headlight part provided in a vicinity of a lower part of the main switch as seen from a side of the vehicle. The motorcycle is constructed so that the main switch wiring extending downward from the main switch is disposed in an inside, concave portion of the headlight stay.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a vehicle, for example a motorcycle, and in particular to a wiring arrangement for a vehicle.
2. Background Art
A vehicle, such as a motorcycle, having a wiring member is known. For example, JP-U-Sho 62-32886 Patent Document discloses a handlebar arrangement for a motorcycle that includes a wire harness (e.g., a wiring member) connected to an operation part, and a lower holder into which the wire harness is inserted. The wire harness is guided, in an exposed manner, to an outside from a lower part of the lower holder to a prescribed part of the motorcycle.


Oil and water separation apparatus comprising a reaction chamber having an inlet through which a mixture of oil and water may be introduced. A reaction that extends upwardly from an intake opening therein located in the reaction chamber and out of the chamber. The apparatus also has an ozone generator and a conduit through which ozone may be channeled from the ozone generator into the upwardly extending reaction tube. A pump is provided for pumping water and oil upwardly through the reaction tube entrained with ozone and out of the reaction chamber. A filter is provided for oil oxidized to particulate form by the ozone.

Mixtures of oil and water are usually separated by utilizing their differences in specific gravity, advantageously. Since most oils have a specific gravity substantially less than that of water, with time they separate and stratify into a surface layer of oil upon an underlying body of water. Once this occurs the oil may be skimmed off the water. By sequentially treating the residual water in this manner, the oil content of the mixture becomes less and less.
Oil-water separators are used in treating the condensate of compressed air systems. As air is compressed in oil lubricated compressors, part of the lubricating oil becomes entrained in the water condensate discharge. This type of oil is finely dispersed. The specific gravity of some of these oils is quite high, even approaching that of water. Thus, even if the condensate is allowed to settle in holding tanks for hours, such does not guarantee separation by stratification alone.
A commercially available oil-water separator used to separate the oil and water constituents of compressed air systems is the Ecosep series WT separator sold by Zander Filter Systems, Inc. of Norcross, Ga. It has a series of compartments through which oil and water is flowed in series with the liquid being drawn from a lower portion of each compartment and surface oil skimmed away. More specifically with the Zander unit the condensate from air compressors is reduced to atmospheric pressure and passed through a series of settling chambers by liquid displacement. Oil is drawn from the surface of the condensate in each chamber and residual water passed from the bottom of each chamber and then through an activated carbon filter which filters any remaining oil residue.
Though the just described type of oil and water separators have performed effectively, their activated carbon filters have had to be monitored and replaced frequently. This has been attributable to the fact that some of the oils used in air compressor systems tend to remain emulsified and do not rise to the surface of the liquid in the settling chambers. Similarly, other oils with specific gravity approaching that of water rise so slowly that they remain dispersed in the water that is displaced from chamber to chamber.
The just described problem could perhaps be solved with the use of fibrous membrane filters. However, oil and water separators that employ these are structurally complex and very expensive.
Accordingly, it is seen that a need remains for an oil and water separator and separation process that can be used and maintained in a more cost effective manner, and which is particularly well suited for use in processing the condensate from compressed air systems. It is to the provision of such therefore that the present invention is primarily directed.

Method and apparatus for separating oil and water


Clear, stable, efficacious, aqueous microemulsions of a pyrethroid insecticide, optionally with another agriculturally active ingredient, are provided herein. The aqueous microemulsions are obtained by providing an inert matrix composition containing a defined mixture of nonionic surfactants, optionally including an anionic surfactant, mixing with a pyrethroid to form a microemulsion concentrate, and diluting with water. Preferably, the aqueous microemulsion includes an N-alkyl (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) pyrrolidone therein as a cosolvent in the microemulsion system.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a delivery system for agriculturally active chemicals, and, more particularly, to an inert matrix composition for forming a microemulsion concentrate and an aqueous microemulsion of a pyrethroid insecticide.
2. Definitions
As used herein, the following terms have the meanings indicated:
(a) "Microemulsion" means an oil-in-water or water-in-oil, transparent thermodynamically stable dispersion of two or more immiscible liquids wherein the dispersed phase consists of small droplets with diameters in the range of about 10 to 100 millimicrons. Such microemulsions are clear and contain at least about 80% by weight water.
(b) "Macroemulsion" means an emulsion of water-in-oil or oil-in-water wherein the interior phase is in the form of visually discernable droplets and the overall emulsion is cloudy, and wherein the droplet diameter is greater than about 100 millimicrons.
(c) "Clear" or "Transparent" as applied to a microemulsion means that the composition appears as a single phase without any particulate or colloidal material or a second phase being present when viewed by the naked eye.
(d) "Substantially Insoluble" or "Insoluble" means that for all practical purposes, the solubility of the compound in water is insufficient to make the compound practicably usable in an agricultural end use without some modification either to increase its solubility or dispersability in water, so as to increase the compound's bioavailability or avoid the use of excessively large volumes of solvent.
(e) "High Degree of Loading" in a microemulsion concentrate means an agriculturally active ingredient content of at least about 5 percent by weight.
(f) The term "Agriculturally Active Chemical or Ingredient" (AAC) means compounds and mixtures thereof which can be used as agricultural fertilizers, nutrients, plant growth accelerants, herbicides, plant growth controlling chemicals, and chemicals which are effective in killing plants, insects, microorganisms, fungi, bacteria and the like which are commonly referred to as insecticides, bactericides, fungicides, nematocides, fumigants, synergists, i.e., compounds which when used in conjunction with other AAC's enhance their activity and the like, as well as any other chemicals having properties which are suitable for agricultural uses in terms of application to plants or domestic uses for controlling insects and pests.
(g) "Synthetic Pyrethroid" is an AAC such as organic compounds having the formulas:
(.+-.) alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl (.+-.) cis, trans 3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethyl cyclopropane carboxylate; PA0 (RS)-3-allyl-2-methyl-4-oxocyclopent-2-enyl (1RS)-cis, trans-chrysanthemate; PA0 3-phenoxybenzyl (1RS)-cis, trans-3-(2,d-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate; PA0 3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalimidomethyl (.+-.)-cis, transchrysanthemate); PA0 5-[2-(2-*butoxyethoxy)ethoxymethyl]-6-propyl-1,3-benzodioxole; FNT * this compound is a known synergist for synthetic pyrethroids PA0 (RS)-alpha-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl 2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropanecarboxylate; and PA0 (.+-.) cyano (3-phenoxyphenyl methyl (.+-.)-4-(difluoromethyoxy) alpha-(1-methylethyl) benzene acetate.
Commercial synthetic pyrethroid insecticides include D-allethrin, permethrin, tetramethrin and kathon, alone, or as complex mixtures, with and without synergists, such as piperonyl butoxide**, or other AAC ingredients, such as 2N-octyl-4-isothiazdin-3-one and propaconazole. FNT ** 3,4-methylenedioxy-6-propyl benzyl n-butyl diethylene glycol ether
(h) "Inert Matrix Composition" (IMC)--a predetermined mixture of defined nonionic surfactants, optionally with one or more anionic surfactants, and/or with a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylpyrrolidone, e.g. N-methylpyrrolidone, which, upon admixture with a pyrethroid insecticide and water, will form a clear, efficacious, aqueous microemulsion which is stable at or below room temperature for an extended period of time.
(i) "Two-Part Microemulsion System" (TPMS)--as the first part, the IMC; as the second part, a pyrethroid insecticide; and, wherein, optionally, up to 60% by weight of a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylpyrrolidone, e.g. N-methylpyrrolidond, is present in said system as a component of either or both of said parts before admixture.
(j) "Microemulsion Concentrate" (MEC)--the admixture product of both parts of the TPMS.
(k) "Water-Based Microemulsion" (WBME) or "Aqueous Microemulsion" (AM)--The TPMS (0.5-20%) and water (80-99.5%), by weight.
(1) "Nonionic Surfactant" - Representative materials include:
(1) N-Alkylpyrrolidone (alkyl C.sub.6 -C.sub.18), e.g. N-octylpyrrolidone - (Surfadone LP-100 - ISP) PA1 (2) Ethylene oxide (EO)/propylene oxide (PO)/EO block copolymers, e.g. (2 EO/16 PO/2 EO--H.sub.2 O) - (Pegal L-31), and PA1 (3) Alkylphenol ethoxylated alcohol having an HLB.gtoreq.6, e.g. nonylphenol ethoxylated alcohol with 9 EOs - (Igepal CO-630). PA1 (m) "Anionic Surfactant" -- Representative materials include: Nonylphenol ethoxylated phosphate ester with 9 EOs Gafac RE-610. PA1 (n) "Cosolvent" -- An N-alkyl (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4) pyrrolidone -- representative materials include: N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP).


An optical transmitter device capable of high-speed shutdown of optical output. A bias controller generates a low-frequency signal, extracts the frequency component of a low-frequency signal from an electrical signal fed back thereto, and compares the phase of the frequency component of the low-frequency signal generated thereby with that of the frequency component of the extracted low-frequency signal, to generate a direct-current voltage with which the operating point of an optical modulator is optimized. Using a half-wave voltage of the optical modulator and an optimum voltage, a bottom voltage calculation unit calculates a bottom voltage corresponding to a minimum of the operation characteristic curve of the modulator. A voltage selection unit selects the direct-current voltage during normal operation, to apply the optical modulator with a bias voltage derived from the direct-current voltage, and selects the bottom voltage at the time of shutdown, to apply the bottom voltage to the modulator.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical transmitter devices, and more particularly, to an optical transmitter device for controlling transmission of an optical signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the advance of multimedia, the development of optical communication networks is being furthered to realize high-speed, low-cost transmission of enormous amounts of information over long distances. One of the devices indispensable to such optical communication networks is optical modulator.
Optical modulators are roughly classified into the type which uses an external voltage to modulate optical intensity (corresponding to amplitude modulation of radio wave) and the type which uses an external voltage to modulate optical phase. In optical fiber communications, the intensity modulation type is most commonly used.
FIG. 19 shows the configuration of an optical modulator. The optical modulator 100 is an intensity modulator wherein a Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometer (optical interferometer so configured as to split input light into two beams and subsequently reunite the two beams), which is constituted by an optical waveguide 101, is formed on a crystal substrate of lithium niobate (LiNbO3: hereinafter "LN") or the like having an electrooptic effect (change of the refractive index induced by application of an electric field).
The optical waveguide 101 diverges into two parallel waveguides 101a and 101b. As shown in FIG. 19, a signal electrode 102 is formed near the parallel waveguide 101a, and a ground electrode 103 is formed on both sides of the signal electrode 102 (FIG. 19 shows a Z-cut substrate with a single electrode structure).
Also, the signal electrode 102 is connected with a resistor R at the illustrated position and thus terminated. A predetermined voltage is applied to the signal electrode 102 so that the signal electrode 102 may act as a traveling-wave electrode which causes electrical and optical signals to travel in the same direction.
Due to the electric field (voltage) applied at this time to the optical waveguide 101, the refractive indexes of the parallel waveguides 101a and 101b change by +Δn and −Δn, respectively. As a result, the phase difference between the parallel waveguides 101a and 101b changes, and thus an intensity-modulated optical signal is output from the output waveguide (the intensity of the optical signal increases if the phase difference between the parallel waveguides 101a and 101b is 0° and decreases if the phase difference is π).
Thus, in the LN modulator having an optical waveguide formed on the LN crystal having an electrooptic effect, the refractive index of one optical path (optical path length) is changed to vary the interference state, thereby switching the optical signal ON and OFF. Also, the electrooptic effect takes place in a very short response time and permits high-speed modulation (e.g., at 10 Gb/s or higher).
FIG. 20 shows the configuration of a conventional optical transmitter device including the optical modulator 100. The optical transmitter device 110 comprises the optical modulator 100, a PD (Photo Diode) 111, an operation controller 112, and a bias T circuit 113.
The signal electrode 102 of the optical modulator 100 is input at one end thereof with an input data signal ("0", "1") via a capacitor C. The other end of the signal electrode 102 is connected to the bias T circuit 113 and a terminating resistor R, and applied via the bias T circuit 113 with a bias voltage generated by the operation controller 112.
The operation controller 112 has a low-frequency oscillator therein and superimposes a low-frequency signal generated by the oscillator on the bias voltage. Thus, the optical modulator 100 is driven by a signal which is derived by superimposing the low-frequency signal on the input data signal, to output an intensity-modulated optical signal.
The operating point for the optical modulation of the optical modulator 100 varies (drifts) depending on temperature or with time. To cope with such variation, the optical signal output from the optical modulator 100 is split by a coupler and converted to an electrical signal 111a by the PD 111, and based on the result of detection of the low-frequency signal contained in the electrical signal 111a, the operation controller 112 controls the bias voltage to an optimum value.
If the frequency component of pilot signal appears in the electrical signal 111a, then it means that the bias voltage is deviated from an optimum operating point, and if the frequency component of the pilot signal does not appear in the electrical signal 111a, it means that the bias voltage is optimized. Feedback control is carried out in this manner, thereby controlling the optical modulator 100 so as to always operate at a constant operating point.
As techniques applied to conventional optical transmitter devices including an optical modulator, there has been proposed a technique of cutting off the optical signal output from the optical modulator when a power alarm or a wavelength alarm is received (e.g., Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. H11-340919 (paragraph nos. [0036] to [0044], FIG. 5)).
In optical fiber communication systems, shutdown control for automatically stopping a high-level optical output (called "APSD (Auto Power Shut Down)") is performed in order to protect the human body or prevent a fire in case an optical fiber connector comes off or an optical fiber becomes disconnected, or at the time of line switching of the system.
In the case of carrying out the shutdown in the aforementioned optical transmitter device 110, the operating point of the optical modulator 100 is changed in response to a shutdown instruction from the host side, to lower the optical output level.
According to the conventional shutdown control, however, a long time is required after the operation controller 112 receives a shutdown instruction until the optical output of the optical modulator 100 actually drops, with the result that the shutdown cannot be performed at high speed.
In the operation controller 112, the electrical signal is filtered to extract the low-frequency signal, and a phase comparator compares the phase of the extracted low-frequency signal with that of the low-frequency signal generated by the low-frequency oscillator. The phase comparator outputs the derived phase difference component as a pulse-like phase difference signal, and a loop filter smoothes the phase difference signal (turns the signal into direct current) and amplifies the resultant signal, thereby generating the bias voltage.
On receiving a shutdown instruction, the operation controller 112 controls the internal elements to output a bottom voltage necessary for lowering the optical output level of the optical modulator. However, the aforementioned loop control requires a certain period of time for the loop, and in addition, the loop filter has a certain time constant necessary to stabilize the loop control (the response is delayed for a time period corresponding to the set time constant). Consequently, the currently output voltage cannot be switched at high speed to the bottom voltage after the reception of a shutdown instruction, making it impossible to instantly complete the shutdown.
In recent years, optical fiber communication technologies enabling high-speed, large-capacity optical communication of the order of 10 Gb/s or even 40 Gb/s, for example, are developed, necessitating correspondingly high-speed line switching. Accordingly, there is a strong demand for techniques that enable the optical transmitter device itself to shut down at high speed.
According to the aforementioned conventional technique (Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. H11-340919), the optical output from the optical modulator is simply stopped on reception of an alarm, which is the condition for stopping the optical output, and no consideration is given to high-speed shutdown control.


By using ICs with combined inputs for the VHF-high bandpass circuit and the UHF bandpass circuit, undesirable resonances occur which are caused by one of the tuned circuits. The problem is solved by providing a switching means for decoupling the UHF bandpass circuit from the combined inputs when a VHF-high band signal is received by the VHF-high bandpass circuit. The switching means comprises a switch coupled between the UHF bandpass circuit and the common inputs.

The invention relates to a tuner with a UHF bandpass circuit and a VHF bandpass circuit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,865 discloses a switching circuit for switching among antennas, which have different directivities. The switching circuit provides insulation for an "off" signal in VHF/UHF bands of frequencies without requiring an additional attenuation circuit. It includes an amplifier for amplifying an input signal and a switching device for coupling the amplified signal to a common output. The switching circuit also comprises a control circuit, which is responsive to a first state of a control signal for simultaneously causing the switching device to be in a conductive state and enabling the amplifier to amplify the input signal. The control circuit is also responsive to a second state of the control signal for simultaneously causing the switching device to be in a non-conductive state and removing a DC operating voltage from the amplifier for further insulating the input signal from the output.


Methods and apparatus for imaging light are disclosed. Light is imaged by collecting light, converting the collected light into a electrical charge signal, multiplying the electrical charge signal to produce multiple electrical charge signals with associated levels of gain, converting the electrical charge signals to voltage signals, and developing an output signal from one or more of the voltage signals that represents the collected light. The electrical charge signal may be multiplied using an electron multiplication device associated with multiple taps to produce the electrical charge signal with different levels of gain.

Imagers collect photonic charge from an image using imaging devices such as charge coupled device (CCD) arrays. A typical CCD array incorporates photosensitive devices arranged in rows and columns to collect photonic charge. The photosensitive devices convert collected photonic charge into electrical charge. The electrical charge is then accumulated across multiple photosensitive devices, e.g., by row or column, to capture the image.
Imaging devices are able to handle a range of photonic charge that depends on their design. If the photonic charge incident on the surface of the imaging device is outside of this range, detail associated with an image is lost. There is an ever present desire for imagers having an improved photonic charge range to avoid loss of image detail. The present invention addresses this desire among others.

Imaging methods and apparatus having extended dynamic range


According to one embodiment, an X-ray tube including an electron emission source which emits an electron, an anode target which comprises a target layer emitting an X-ray by the electron from the electron emission source, and a substrate supporting the target layer and composed from a carbide-strengthened molybdenum alloy, an evacuated outer surrounding envelope which contains the electron emission source and the anode target, a diffusion barrier layer which is integrally formed with the substrate by a powder metallurgy method on a part of a top surface of the substrate and is composed of a high-melting-point metal lacking of carbon-element content compared with carbon-element content in the substrate, and a thermal radiation film which is formed on at least a part of a top surface of the diffusion barrier layer and composed of metallic oxide.

An X-ray tube, in which X-rays output, comprises an anode target. Electron beams collide with the anode target to produce X-rays.
X-ray apparatuses incorporating the X-ray tube are utilized for many purposes such as medical diagnosis and industrial nondestructive testing or materials analysis.
In a rotating anode X-ray tube, electrons emitted from a fixed cathode are accelerated and focused by a potential gradient between the cathode and a rotating anode target. The electrons colliding with the surface of the anode target typically with kinetic energy of 20 to 150 keV by the acceleration. Thus, a focal point which becomes the source of X-rays is formed on the target surface.
When such high-kinetic energy electron beams strike the anode target, they are rapidly decelerated by the target material, and thus, X-rays are emitted from the focal point. The target surface comprises a metal having a high melting point such as tungsten or a tungsten alloy. The target surface is formed on a substrate (target main body) comprising a metal having a high melting point such as molybdenum or a molybdenum alloy. Particularly, in the case of an X-ray tube for computed tomography or angiography, which requires the use of high-strengthened electron beams, etc., the temperature of or thermal stress on the substrate during use becomes high. Since, a carbide-strengthened molybdenum alloy such as titanium zirconium molybdenum (TZM) is employed for the substrate. The proportion of the kinetic energy of the electrons striking the anode target that is converted into X-rays is very small at approximately 1%. The rest of the kinetic energy is converted into heat.
In order to easily diffuse the heat produced in an anode target, a thermal radiation film is formed on a part of the top surface of the anode target. The thermal radiation film is generally formed of a metallic oxide composite such as titanium oxide and alumina using, for example, the plasma-spray technique.
However, the amount of gaseous CO and CO2 produced during use is large for an anode target having the aforementioned thermal radiation film formed of metallic oxide such as titanium oxide and alumina on the top surface of a higher carbon-element content molybdenum alloy such as TZM. The gasses produced are gradually released into the vacuum within the X-ray tube and ultimately allow an electric discharge to occur in the tube. As a result, the working life of the X-ray tube is shortened.
As suggested in the Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 05-205675, CO gas are presumed to be produced by the chemical reaction between the carbon or metallic carbide in TZM and the metallic oxide composing the thermal radiation film. As a structure to prevent this reaction, the KOKAI Publication No. 05-205675 discloses a structure of forming a reactive barrier layer that forms carbide by the reaction with carbon in the TZM substrate between the TZM substrate and the thermal radiation film by the plasma-spray technique. The KOKAI Publication No. 05-205675 also discloses a structure of forming a protective coating that is thinner than the reactive barrier layer between the reactive barrier layer and the thermal radiation film in order to further enhance the reliability.

Toshiba Electron Tubes & Devices Co., Ltd.


A system and method for detecting and thus preventing check fraud utilizing a digital computer with image capture and interpretation systems. The system converts the payee information, issue date and the MICR line information (account number, check number and dollar amount) to a check digit which is then placed into the MICR line of a check, printed on its face or transmitted via the paid issuance file to the drawee bank. The drawee bank, upon presentment utilizes a transformation algorithm to convert the printed payee information and issue date on the check into a numerical value that is combined with MICR line information and a check digit is calculated based upon pre-agreed logic. This unique data processing system quickly confirms properly presented checks while effectively precludes payee and other alterations in a cost effective manner.

For many centuries, money has been used to permit market transactions of goods and services. Money was often in the form of coinage and other types of currency and thus immediately liquid--and subject to immediate loss. To expand the available transactions, banks became available to extend credit for goods and services in the market. Such credit extensions were leveraged on deposits and took the form of various types of commercial paper including promissory notes, letters of credit, drafts and, more commonly, checks on account. These financial instruments have provided substantial capital and increased asset liquidity and thus supported greater--debt based--economic growth.
However, transactions based on paper have long suffered significant losses as a result of acts of fraud. Specifically, paper was easily stolen and modified in ways that misled the drawee bank into inappropriately releasing check defined currency. For the most part, this involved altering the check in a way undetectable to the bank. When presented for payment, the modified check would be honored with the resulting financial loss to be allocated between the drawee bank (bank of first deposit) and check writer of the funds usurped by the altered or fraudulently created check.
To combat this fraud, banks have employed many techniques for confirming check validity. For example, checks will routinely include information about the drawing account and amount to be drawn. Special patterns and designations are applied to the blank paper check stock to discourage replication. In fact, centuries ago, checks required a personal "chop" to permit cashing.
Notwithstanding these techniques, modern practices of check writing and encashment remains mired in scams and fraud, resulting in billions of dollars of lost funds and is growing at an alarming rate due to the use of technology such as image scanners, personal computers and laser printers. Moreover, banks and other institutions are responsible for cashing many pre-printed checks of the type now typically used for payroll, dividends, etc. These checks are computer generated by the check issuer with specialized accounting software to track the transactions on an aggregate basis and to record individual account activity. In some ways, these automated issuance systems make it easier for check forgers to alter or reproduce fraudulent checks. Banks also, in an effort to reduce the costs of processing presented checks and posting them to customer accounts, have implemented sophisticated equipment and software to greatly automate these processes. One of the unfortunate results of this automation, however, is that fewer customer checks are physically handled and reviewed by bank personnel, making it more likely that these reproductions of originally issued checks with altered payees will go undetected. Even when physically inspected, however, many of these falsified items so clearly match the appearance of an original check drawn on the same customer account that the counterfeit is still not detected. These types of fraudulent items are resulting in losses of approximately five billion dollars per year and are growing at an alarming rate.
As an example of this widespread type of check fraud, in 1993, two checks for $80,000.00 were stolen from the Philadelphia Post Office. These checks included a printed name identifying the payee on the check. In addition, these checks included information of the check number, account number and dollar amount. The fraud was perpetrated by creating a duplicate check in the same font/typeface on security paper with MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) encoding used by banks to read the key pieces of information about a check in an automated fashion. This was done so the copy was identical to the check stock that was initially issued. The sole difference from the original item was that the payee had been changed. An account had been opened in the fictitious payee's name and the duplicate check was deposited into the account. The duplicated check was presented for payment and the funds were transferred to the falsified account, which was then closed out after the deposit funds were withdrawn. Since the check number, account number and the amount were all accurate, and the check appeared to be the original, the check was honored and the fraud uncovered only after the funds had been removed from the fictitious payee's account.
The foregoing example is not a lone event. Similar schemes are being perpetrated by check fraud rings worldwide at an astounding rate. Computer generated paychecks for stock dividends, payrolls and similar automated check preparation systems are now used extensively throughout the U.S. to issue millions of checks each day. Each check must include the printed payee as discussed above, and thus each is subject to the same kind of potential fraud. To prevent this and other types of fraud, the present invention has been created.

Check alteration detection system and method


A method of initializing an optical scanning system by centering a benchmark code in an electrically adjustable benchmark window, the benchmark code being scanned by the optical scanning system while being transported through a paper handling machine. The improvement comprises the steps of providing an encoder for timing the machine cycles of the paper handling machine as a plurality of documents are processed therethrough; conveying a document containing a benchmark code to be scanned past a scanning device of the optical scanning system; enabling a counter at the lead edge of the electrically adjustable benchmark window; incrementing the counter once for every two encoder pulses; disabling the counter when the scanning device detects the benchmark code; displaying the count of the counter in a LED display; and adjusting the location of the benchmark window so that the benchmark code is substantially centered in the benchmark window based on the count displayed on the LED display.

In scanning codes, such as bar codes or dash codes, on a moving sheet of paper, it is critical that 100 percent of the code is read by the optical scanning system. Typically, an optical scanning system opens a detection "window" at a predetermined time after the leading edge of the moving sheet of paper is detected. A detection window is a system controlled location on the sheet of paper where the optical scanning system actively scans to detect the control code. For optical scanning systems including dash code scanners, it is desired that the first dash of the dash code on each sheet of paper is located at or near the center of the detection window. This ensures that 100 percent of the code will be detected by the system. An example of an optical scanning system for scanning dash codes is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,659,939, issued to John L. Lorenzo on Apr. 21, 1987 and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Generally, the codes being scanned are located at the same location on each of the sheets containing the code. Thus, an optical scanning system with a dash code scanner must be initialized to position the detection window so that the first code mark on the sheet is approximately at the center of the detection window. Heretofore, such dash code scanners have been initialized, or set up, by a service technician using a oscilloscope or a logic analyzer. Thus, whenever the code is printed at another location on the sheet or the optical scanning system goes out of tolerance, e.g., too many scan errors occur, it is necessary to initialized the system again to ensure that the first scan mark is centered in the detection window. Again, a service technician is needed for this.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system and method which simplifies the initialization of the optical scanning system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method of initialization of the optical scanning system which does not require a service technician to complete.

System and method for indicating the location of a benchmark


In each embodiment of this invention, when the precondition information of a broadcast program is cut on the viewer side, the use of the broadcast program is limited. A broadcasting system includes a broadcasting apparatus which sequentially transmits first broadcast data containing first control information and second broadcast data containing second control information over the same channel, and a receiving apparatus which executes, upon sequentially loading of the first and second broadcast data, processing based on the first control information and second control information on the basis of an input command. With this arrangement, when first or second broadcast data is precondition information and the precondition information of a broadcast program is cut on the viewer side, since first or second control information is omitted, the use of the broadcast program can be limited.

The present invention relates to a broadcasting system, broadcasting apparatus, broadcasting method, and receiving apparatus which are used for digital broadcasting and, more particularly, to a broadcasting system, broadcasting apparatus, broadcasting method, and receiving apparatus which can limit the use of a broadcast program when precondition information in the broadcast program is cut on the viewer side.
In general, a broadcasting station such as a terrestrial broadcasting station transmits a broadcast program that is viewable for free and inserts a pre-provided commercial midway along the broadcast program to obtain a program production cost or the like from a commercial provider which provides the commercial. More specifically, the broadcast program is transmitted for free by the broadcasting station in cooperation with the commercial provider. Note that an important precondition for free broadcasting is to viewing the broadcast program with a commercial.
In other words, a commercial cut phenomenon, i.e., viewing a broadcast program while cutting commercials, will break the above important precondition. Note that commercial cut phenomenon includes, for example, a case wherein a viewer switches to another channel during a commercial break and a case wherein a viewer records/plays back a program on a video recorder while cutting commercials by using the commercial cut function incorporated in the recorder.
The commercial cut phenomenon based on viewer's own operation at the time of viewing requires cumbersome operation on the viewer side, and hence may pose no serious problem.
A shift from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting, however, will technically facilitate distinguishing broadcast programs and commercials and cutting the commercials. The commercial cut function will proliferate on devices on the viewer side at a high possibility.
Hard disk recorders for recording digital broadcasts have commercial cut functions and are expected to come in wide use in the future.
The commercial cut function of such a device will break the important precondition for free broadcasting, i.e., that commercials are viewed. It therefore should be preferable for the broadcasting station side or commercial provider side to inhibit such a commercial cut function.
Likewise, a prize contest program is known, in which a quiz that can be answered by any viewer who has viewed a broadcast program is offered at the end of the program, and the answer is used as an entry requirement for a prize.
It is an important precondition for such a type of prize content program that viewers of the program enter the prize contest. From the viewpoint of encouraging viewers to enter the prize content, it is undesirable to offer a difficult quiz. For this reason, some contestants make answers by viewing only a portion associated with a quiz entry without viewing the main program, or a given viewer can enter a prize contest by hearing an answer from another viewer without viewing the program by himself/herself.
In both the commercial cut function and prize contest program case, it is possible for a viewer, regardless of whether he/she has viewed the broadcast main program, to gain the same profit as that gained when he/she has viewed the main program. However, it may be preferable for the broadcasting side to prevent such a thing.

Broadcasting system, broadcasting apparatus, broadcasting method and receiving apparatus


An endoscope apparatus includes an imaging element, a flexible substrate, and a flexible heat release sheet. The imaging element is built in an endoscope front end portion so as to receive incident light from a subject. The imaging element and components of a circuit for driving the imaging element are mounted on the flexible substrate and the flexible substrate is built in the endoscope front end portion. The flexible heat release sheet includes a first region attached to a given region of the imaging element other than a light receiving surface of the imaging element and a second region thermally contacted to a heat release member disposed in the endoscope front end portion.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an endoscope apparatus having a front end portion in which an imaging element is built, and a method for releasing heat generated by the imaging element.
2. Related Art
When an electronic apparatus is assembled, generally, a flexible substrate is used for enhancing the degree of freedom of the assembling. When such a flexible substrate is used, the flexible substrate is bent at any place so that the electronic apparatus is easily assembled in a narrow site easily.
For example, in an electronic endoscope apparatus described in JP-A-2010-69217, an imaging element is mounted on a flexible substrate so that the imaging element can be assembled in a narrow endoscope front end portion easily.
A structure which releases heat well is required for receiving an imaging element, a circuit for driving the imaging element, or the like in a narrow endoscope front end portion. The imaging element may be a heat generating element. In the electronic endoscope apparatus described in JP-A-2010-69217, a part of the flexible substrate is used as a heat release portion.
In recent electronic endoscope apparatuses, the diameter of a front end portion to be inserted into a subject is about 1 cm, and the diameter has a tendency to decrease. Further, there is a request to shorten the length of the front end portion. In addition, there is a tendency to increase the number of pixels in an imaging element and to increase the driving frequency to improve the image quality of a captured image.
The imaging element is a heat generating component. With increase in the number of pixels in the imaging element, the heat value of the imaging element increases. In addition, when the imaging element is driven at a high speed, the heat value of the driving circuit also increases. It is therefore necessary to build a structure with further improved heat release characteristic in an electronic endoscope apparatus which receives the imaging element in the endoscope front end portion. However, when the endoscope front end portion is reduced in diameter and shortened in length, the imaging element and a flexible substrate mounted with the imaging element needs to be miniaturized. Thus, it is difficult to secure a path to release heat generated by the imaging element.
JP-A-2002-344095 has disclosed a technique in which a graphite layer with high heat conductivity is laminated on the surface of a resin layer of a flexible substrate in order to enhance heat release performance of the flexible substrate. However, when the graphite layer with high heat conductivity is laminated on the flexible substrate, the thickness of the flexible substrate itself increases so that the flexible substrate cannot be received in a narrow site.
In addition, an electronic endoscope apparatus according to JP-A-2003-10111 has used a structure in which a large GND terminal region of a signal cable connected to an imaging element is secured so that heat generated by the imaging element can be released to the signal cable through the GND terminal. However, only with the heat release structure according to JP-A-2003-10111, there is a fear that satisfactory heat release characteristic cannot be obtained when an imaging element which has a larger number of pixels and is driven at a higher speed is received in an endoscope front end portion having a smaller diameter.

Endoscope apparatus and method for releasing heat generated by imaging element of the endoscope apparatus


An inline modulator device for an optical transmission system, the device comprising: detector means suitable for detecting a portion of the signal transmitted on the line; modulator means; and a control circuit adjustable for synchronization, serving to extract the clock from the signal coming from the detector means and, on the basis of said clock, generating a modulation control signal which it applies to the modulator means, wherein the detector means and the modulator means are constituted respectively by the inlet section and the outlet section of an electro-absorbent modulator constituted by a two-section integrated component, such that said detector means and modulator means can be placed in the line in the form of a single insertion. The present invention also provides optical telecommunications systems using such an inline modulator device.

Optical fiber transmission techniques are being used more and more for long-distance telecommunications since such techniques provide communications that are reliable at high data transmission rates.
However, whatever the type of modulation used (e.g. solitons or RZ modulation), pulses conveyed by fibers are subjected to deformation during propagation.
To solve this problem, long-distance optical fiber telecommunications system include inline repeater devices that resynchronize and reshape the transmitted pulses. Such repeater devices are uniformly distributed on such optical fiber lines, e.g. once every 50 km.
Various active control dispositions have also been proposed for optical transmission lines in order to increase range, data rate, or spacing between repeaters of optical fiber communications systems.
An effective method consists in inserting a modulator on the line with the control signal of the modulator varying periodically at the low frequency of the data rate (e.g. 20 GHz for 20 Gb/s). Associated with spectrum filtering, inline modulation puts pulses, and in particular soliton type pulses, back into shape, reducing jitter and noise.
Such inline modulation is applied in particular to long-range terrestrial or submarine systems.
For example, in early 1986, document JP-A-62189830 made proposals for an optical repeater device of the type shown in accompanying FIG. 1 and comprising an input optical amplifier 10, an isolator 11, and a bistable semiconductor laser 12 mounted in cascade on the line, together with a resistor 13 for detecting changes in the current injected into the input amplifier 10 under the influence of the light applied to the input of said amplifier, and a clock-extractor circuit 14 responsive to the voltage across the terminals of said resistor 13 and delivering an output signal which is applied to one of the electrodes of the laser 12.
Nevertheless, that device does not give complete satisfaction. In particular, it is limited in frequency and presents significant background noise.
It has therefore been abandoned in favor of dispositions of the type shown in FIG. 2 comprising a coupler 20 for extracting a portion of the input optical signal, a fast photodiode 22 for detecting said signal, and a clock extractor 24 for amplifying and processing the detected signal prior to applying it to a modulator 26 with a delay that is adjustable for synchronization.
The advantage of inline modulation has been demonstrated by Nakazawa et al. for soliton type transmission at 10 Gb/s over unlimited distance: 1! M. Nakazawa, E. Yamada, H. Kubota, K. Suzuki, "10 Gb/s soliton data transmission over one million kilometers", Electron. Lett., Vol. 27, p. 1270, 1991. Nakazawa's demonstration used a Mach-Zehnder interferometer type inline modulator on a substrate of LiNbO.sub.3.
It has been shown that with that type of configuration, the spacing between amplifiers can be increased by a factor of 2 (e.g. from 50 km to 100 km): 2! G. Aubin, T. Montalant, J. Moulu, B. Nortier, F. Pirio, J. B. Thomine, "Record amplifier span of 105 km in a soliton data demonstration experiment at 10 Gb/s over one million kilometers", Electron. Lett., Vol. 3, p. 217, 1995. In theory, that should enable a transoceanic system to be reduced substantially in cost. Never-the-less, inline use of that type of modulator is not very realistic since optical transmission through an LiNbO.sub.3 modulator depends strongly on the polarization state of the light.
Also, LiNbO.sub.3 modulators require a large control voltage and suffer from slow drift of the operating point (thereby degrading transmission).
In an attempt to remedy the problem of sensitivity to the polarization state of the light, proposals have been made to use two modulators on an LiNbO.sub.3 substrate in an orthogonal configuration: 3! M. Nakazawa, K. Suzuki, H. Kubota, E. Yamada, Y. Kimura, "20 Gb/s-3000 km straight line soliton transmission beyond Gordon-Hauss limit", Optoelectronics Conference (OEC'94), post-deadline proceedings, p. 6.
More recently, to eliminate the above-mentioned drawback of LiNbO.sub.3 modulators, proposals have been made to use an electroabsorbent modulator to provide inline signal modulation: 4! G. Aubin, E. Jeannery, T. Montalant, J. Moulu, F. Pirio, J. B. Thomine, F. Devaux, "20 Gb/s soliton transmission over transoceanic distance with a 105 km amplifier span", Electron. Lett., Vol. 31, No. 13, p. 1079, 1995.
Nevertheless, the above-mentioned devices do not give full satisfaction.
In particular, all of those known devices require an environment that is complex.

Inline modulator device for an optical transmission system


An example of an information processing system is configured to, in a draw mode, display two or more selection candidates. In the draw mode, when a selection instruction to select at least one of unselected selection candidates is given, a game character that corresponds to the selected selection candidate is granted to the user. When the number of unselected selection candidates is equal to a first number, the process decreases an amount by which the predetermined parameter is decreased as compared with a case where the number of unselected selection candidates is equal to a second number greater than the first number. When a cumulative grant count becomes equal to or greater than a reference count, the information processing system permits execution of a designated mode in which a game character designated by the user is granted to the user.

There are conventional processes in which game characters are granted to the user by a draw.
Where game characters are granted by a draw, it is preferred to give more choices to the user as to strategies that can be employed by the user.
Therefore, the present application discloses an information processing system, an information processing apparatus, a storage medium and an information processing method, with which it is possible to increase the variety of strategies for a draw that can be employed by the user.
(1) An example of an information processing system, comprising: a processor and a memory coupled thereto, the processor being configured to control the information processing system to at least: start a draw mode in response to a first start instruction given by a user; in the draw mode, display on a display device two or more selection candidates determined based on a computer-simulated draw and each corresponding to a game character used in a game, in such a manner that the user can identify a part of a property of the game characters corresponding to the selection candidates; in the draw mode, perform a first grant process, wherein when the user gives a selection instruction to select at least one of unselected selection candidates in a state in which there are unselected selection candidates, the selected selection candidate is indicated as selected and a game character that corresponds to the selected selection candidate is granted to the user in exchange for decreasing a predetermined parameter; and in the draw mode, end the draw mode when an end instruction is given by the user or there is no unselected selection candidate left. When a new iteration of the draw mode is started in response to the first start instruction after the draw mode is ended, the processor displays on the display device a new set of selection candidates that are determined by a new computer-simulated draw in the iteration of the draw mode. When the selection instruction is received in such a state in which the number of unselected selection candidates is equal to a first number, the processor decreases an amount by which the predetermined parameter is decreased for the selection instruction as compared with that in a state in which the number of unselected selection candidates is equal to a second number greater than the first number. The processor being configured to further control the information processing system to at least: update a cumulative grant count each time the first grant process is performed in one or more iteration of the draw mode started in response to the first start instruction; permit execution of a designated mode when the cumulative grant count becomes equal to or greater than a first reference count; start the designated mode in response to a second start instruction given by the user; in the designated mode, display on the display device one or more of the game characters in such a manner that the user can uniquely identify the game characters; and in the designated mode, perform a second grant process of granting to the user a game character designated by the user.
With configuration (1) above, in the draw mode, the user can employ a strategy of keeping selecting only those selection candidates that indicate a part of the property of a game character or game characters desired by the user, or a strategy of keeping selecting any selection candidates displayed as much as possible so as to quickly increase the cumulative grant count in order to execute the designated mode. Thus, it is possible to increase the variety of strategies for a computer-simulated draw that can be employed by the user.
(2) In the draw mode, the processor may display on the display device selection candidates corresponding to a set of game characters that are chosen by a probability-based computer-simulated draw from among a plurality of game characters including normal characters and rare characters, wherein a probability of a rare character being determined as a selection candidate is lower than a probability of a normal character being determined as a selection candidate. In the designated mode, the processor may display on the display device a rare character or rare characters as the one or more game characters.
With configuration (2) above, it is possible to strongly motivate the user to perform the draw mode until execution of the designated mode is permitted.
(3) In the draw mode, the processor may display on the display device the selection candidates corresponding to a set of game characters that are determined by a probability-based computer-simulated draw from among a plurality of game characters including normal characters and rare characters, wherein a probability of a rare character being chosen as a selection candidate is lower than a probability of a normal character being chosen as a selection candidate. The processor may further control the information processing system to at least update a successive grant count each time a normal character is granted successively by the first grant process in the draw mode, and reset the successive grant count when a rare character is granted by the first grant process. In the draw mode, on a condition that the successive grant count becomes equal to or greater than a second reference count, the processor may display on the display device a predetermined number of selection candidates that correspond to rare characters.
With configuration (3) above, it is possible to motivate the user to continuously perform the draw mode until the successive grant count becomes equal to or greater than the second reference count.
(4) In the draw mode, the processor may display on the display device the selection candidates corresponding to a set of game characters that are chosen by a probability-based computer-simulated draw from among a plurality of game characters including normal characters and rare characters, wherein a probability of a rare character being determined as a selection candidate is lower than a probability of a normal character being determined as a selection candidate. The processor may be configured to further control the information processing system to at least: update a successive grant count each time a normal character is granted successively by the first grant process in the draw mode, and reset the successive grant count when a rare character is granted by the first grant process; and increase a probability of a rare character being determined as a selection candidate in the draw mode when the successive grant count becomes equal to a third reference count, and reset the probability when the successive grant count is reset.
With configuration (4) above, it is possible to motivate the user to continuously perform the draw mode.
(5) The processor, when a rare character is granted by the second grant process in the designated mode in a state in which the probability is increased, may maintain the increased probability.
With configuration (5) above, it is possible to reduce the possibility of the user losing motivation to perform the draw mode after the end of the designated mode.
(6) The processor may prohibit starting a new iteration of the draw mode and permit execution of the designated mode when the cumulative grant count becomes equal to or greater than the reference count. In the draw mode, the processor may accept a selection instruction until the end process is performed even after the cumulative grant count becomes equal to or greater than the reference count.
With configuration (6) above, when the cumulative grant count becomes equal to or greater than the reference count, the information processing system prohibits starting a new iteration of the draw mode while accepting a selection instruction until the end process is performed. Therefore, when the cumulative grant count becomes equal to or greater than the reference count, the user can choose between ending the draw mode immediately and continuing the selection instruction. Thus, it is possible to increase the variety of strategies for a computer-simulated draw that can be employed by the user.
(7) The one or more game characters displayed in the designated mode may be game characters that can be determined as selection candidates by the computer-simulated draw in the draw mode.
With configuration (7) above, it is possible to more strongly motivate the user to perform the draw mode.
(8) Under certain conditions, the processor may accept a selection instruction not in exchange for decreasing the predetermined parameter and grants a game character corresponding to the selection candidate selected by the selection instruction to the user. The processor may calculate the cumulative grant count as a sum between the number of times a game character is granted by the first grant process and the number of times a game character is granted by the selection instruction that is accepted not in exchange for decreasing the predetermined parameter.
With configuration (8) above, the cumulative grant count is calculated based on both selection instructions that are given in exchange for decreasing the predetermined parameter and selection instructions that are given not in exchange for decreasing the predetermined parameter. By using different methods of incrementing the cumulative grant count, it is possible to improve the strategic aspect.
(9) In the information processing system, different draw modes can be executed, between which a draw probability is varied for at least one game character. The processor may update the cumulative grant count for at least one of the draw modes, and update the cumulative grant count for each draw mode.
With configuration (9) above, it is possible to allow the user to give a consideration as to which one of a plurality of draw modes to perform, thus improving the strategic aspect of the draw mode.
(10) The processor may accept the first start instruction within a predetermined period in real time. The processor may accepts the second start instruction within the predetermined period.
With configuration (10) above, even when the period in which the designated mode can be executed is predefined, it is possible to prompt the user to immediately perform the designated mode.
(11) In the designated mode, the processor may grant to the user a game character designated by the user not in exchange for decreasing the predetermined parameter.
With configuration (11) above, it is possible to strongly motivate the user to perform the draw mode until execution of the designated mode is permitted.
(12) The processor may permit execution of the designated mode until the number of times the designated mode is executed becomes equal to a predetermined upper limit number of times.
With configuration (12) above, it is possible to reduce the possibility of lowering the playability of the draw mode.
(13) The predetermined parameter may represent an amount of virtual currency or virtual items in the game.
With configuration (13) above, the user makes a selection in the draw mode in exchange for consuming virtual currency or virtual items in the game, thus improving the strategic aspect of the computer-simulated draw game.
Note that the present specification discloses an information processing apparatus (e.g., a terminal apparatus or a server) that executes some or all of the processes recited in (1) to (13) above. The present specification also discloses a storage medium storing an information processing program that causes a computer to execute some or all of the processes recited in (1) to (13) above. The present specification also discloses an information processing method that is executed by the information processing system of (1) to (13) above.
With the information processing system, the information processing apparatus, the storage medium or the information processing method set forth above, it is possible to increase the variety of strategies that can be employed by the user in a computer-simulated draw.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Information processing system with increased user draw mode strategies, and associated information processing apparatus, storage medium and information processing method


Disclosed are, inter alia, methods, apparatus, data structures, computer readable media, mechanisms, and means for partitioning and filtering a search space of particular use for determining a longest prefix match thereon, such as for routing packets. One implementation uses one or more filtering mechanisms to filter portions of a lookup word against a first set of lookup values, such as, but not limited to the value of any corresponding portion of any entry in the search space. A set of possible matching prefixes defined by consecutive matching portions of the lookup word from the highest-order position are determined, and lookup operations are typically performed in parallel on each of these possible matching prefixes to generate a set of matching results (if any), which is typically used to identify the longest matching prefix.

The communications industry is rapidly changing to adjust to emerging technologies and ever increasing customer demand. This customer demand for new applications and increased performance of existing applications is driving communications network and system providers to employ networks and systems having greater speed and capacity (e.g., greater bandwidth). In trying to achieve these goals, a common approach taken by many communications providers is to use packet switching technology. Increasingly, public and private communications networks are being built and expanded using various packet technologies, such as Internet Protocol (IP). Note, nothing described or referenced in this document is admitted as prior art to this application unless explicitly so stated.
A network device, such as a switch or router, typically receives, processes, and forwards or discards a packet based on one or more criteria, including the type of protocol used by the packet, addresses of the packet (e.g., source, destination, group), and type or quality of service requested. Additionally, one or more security operations are typically performed on each packet. But before these operations can be performed, a packet classification operation must typically be performed on the packet.
Packet forwarding decisions and other packet operations are demanding parts of switch and router design. For example, IP forwarding requires a longest prefix matching computation at wire speeds. The current IP version, IPv4, uses 32-bit destination addresses and a core Internet router can have over 200,000 prefixes. A prefix typically refers to a value which ends in zero or more bits which are "don't care" or wildcard bits (i.e., these wildcard bits are considered to match both a zero and a one). For example, a 32-bit prefix could contain thirty-two bits of zeros and/or ones (i.e., no wildcard bits), or contain less than thirty-two bits with the trailing bits being wildcard bits. These prefixes are typically denoted by a bit string (e.g., 01*) followed by a '*', by a "value/number of relevant bits" (e.g., 01001010/8) to indicate a value of the prefix with the remaining trailing bits after the number of relevant bits being wildcard bits (i.e., do not matter), or by a fully expanded value (e.g., 01000101010101010101010101010101, 45555555 Hex, 69:85:85:85, etc.).
For destination routing, each prefix entry in a routing table typically consists of a prefix and a next hop value. For example, suppose the database consists of two prefix entries: 01-->L1, and 0100/4-->L2. If the router receives a packet with destination address that starts with 0100, the address matches both the first prefix (01*) and the second prefix (0100/4). Because the second prefix is the longest matching prefix in the routing database, the packet should be sent to next hop L2. On the other hand, a packet with destination address that starts with 011 should be sent to next hop L1. The next hop information will typically specify an output port on the router and possibly a data link address.
Various software and hardware implementations are used to identify a longest matching prefix, each typically having a different performance, memory, associative memory requirements, scalability and updating requirements. Needed are new methods and apparatus for identifying a longest matching prefix, which may be particularly useful for certain applications and implementations, and may have one or more advantages over one or more prior implementations.

Partitioning and filtering a search space of particular use for determining a longest prefix match thereon


A flat panel display device integrated with a touch screen is provided. The flat panel display device includes a substrate, a black matrix, and a color decoration layer. The substrate includes an active region, and an inactive region surrounding the active region. The black matrix is provided on the substrate in the inactive region. The color decoration layer is provided under the substrate in a position corresponding to the black matrix. The color decoration layer is formed by alternately stacking a material having a low refractive index and a material having a high refractive index.

1. Field
The present disclosure herein relates to a flat panel display device integrated with a touch screen, and more particularly, to a flat panel display device integrated with a touch screen, which is integrated with a window and has a color decoration.
2. Description of Related Art
Touch screen panels are input devices that allow a user's command to be inputted by selecting indication content displayed on a screen such as an image display device by hand of the user or object. For this, the touch screen panels are disposed in the front faces of the image display devices and convert a touch position, which is directly touched by the user's hand or an object controlled by the user, into an electrical signal. Therefore, indication content selected in the touch position is recognized as an input signal. Since such touch screen panels may replace separate input devices that are connected to the image display devices and operate like keyboards and mouses, their application fields are increasingly being expanded.
Resistive touch screen panels, light sensing touch screen panels and capacitive touch screen panels are types of the touch screen panels. Among these, the capacitive touch screen panels sense the change of a capacitance that is formed by a conductive sensing pattern with another peripheral sensing pattern or a ground electrode when a user's hand or an object is touched thereto, thereby converting a touch position into an electrical signal.

Display device integrated with touch screen


A coaxial cable connector comprises a head and a hollow cylinder. The hollow cylinder comprises a protective cylinder, a tubular shaft, and an elastic cylinder. The tubular shaft comprises a guide hole, a plurality of ladders, a locking flange, and a plurality of hooks. The elastic cylinder comprises a trench and a hook at one end and a locking ring defined by a notch near the other end. A bended metal tube having a stopper is mounted on the protective cylinder. In the coupling process, the coaxial cable inserts into the hollow cylinder. By using a pressure from a tool to break the notch of the elastic cylinder, the locking ring is separable from the elastic ring, and the locking ring shifts forward continuously along an inclined surface of the notch. Since the protective cylinder restrains the locking ring, the connector can couple with the coaxial cable tightly by pressing down the locking ring.

In general cable TV system and common antenna TV system, the coaxial cable is spread to a splitter through a main line, and the coaxial cable is then further spread from the splitter to clients through secondary lines. As a result, the clients are capable of receiving signals from the TV system. The main line is connected to the splitter through a coaxial cable connector, which is mounted on the tail of the coaxial cable.
As shown in FIG. 5, the conventional coaxial cable connector such as a F type coaxial cable connector includes a main body A, wherein the main body A further includes a clamping tube A1, a pillar B coaxially located in the clamping tube A1, an O-ring C and a screw nut D located around the pillar B. The coaxial cable 80 is inserted into the terminal end A2 of the main body A by use of its free end so as to locate an insulating layer 82 and a center conductor 81 of the coaxial cable 80 in the pillar B. Besides, a cover net 83 and a cover 84 of the coaxial cable 80 are located between the pillar B and the clamping tube A1. By use of a hexagonal pressing tool for pressing the clamping tuber A1, the clamping tube A1 is tightly coupled to the cover 84 of the coaxial cable 80.
If there is a need to couple this connector with the coaxial cable, a hexagonal pressing tool must be utilized for coupling the six surfaces of the clamping tube A1 with the coaxial cable tightly. However, when in use, the contact degree between the clamping tube A1 and the coaxial cable 80 must be confirmed repeatedly. If the force is applied carelessly, the poor connectivity is caused. In view of the description mentioned above, the present inventor discloses a coaxial cable connector with simplified structure for enhancing connection tightness.


A satellite control method is provided for keeping at an identical longitude a plurality of geostationary satellites in which east-west velocity increment (NS coupling) during the execution of north-south orbit control is not negligible. Eccentricity vectors of the geostationary satellites are localized to ensure a large difference therebetween, such that the circumferences of circles, which indicate the ranges of variation of the eccentricity vectors due to the radiation pressure of the sun and NS coupling, do not overlap and are separated from one another at a distance at least greater than a specified minimum inter-satellite distance.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of controlling a plurality of satellites, and more particularly, to a satellite control method for maintaining a plurality of geostationary satellites at an identical longitude in which east-west velocity increment (NS coupling) during the execution of north-south orbit control is not negligible.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Satellites launched at an altitude of about 36,000 km above the equator of the earth synchronously revolve around the earth one rotation in about a day. Accordingly, when viewed from the earth, such satellites look as if they were fixed (stationary) at a point above the equator. Usually, however, the position of a geostationary satellite is not always the same, but the equatorial plane of the satellite may deviate from the equatorial plane or the semimajor axis of the orbit may vary due to the influence of various forces. Therefore, control operation is periodically executed to remedy such deviations. A control operation to move the satellite north or south toward the equatorial plane is called NS control, while a control operation to correct a deviation of the satellite within the orbital plane is called EW control. To achieve these control operations, the position of the satellite is monitored at all times from a ground station, and when position correction is required, a command is transmitted to the satellite to correct the orbit thereof. Satellites are equipped with thrusters for producing propelling forces, and their orbits are corrected by means of velocity increment vectors obtained through controlled injection of fuel from the thrusters.
Conventionally, when keeping a plurality of geostationary satellites at an identical longitude, particularly where the number of geostationary satellites is two, a method called longitude separation is generally employed. Since the position of a geostationary satellite is not always the same, a hold range is set and the satellite is controlled so as to be within the hold range. In the longitude separation method, the hold range is divided into two along the orbit and two satellites are positioned in respective subdivided ranges. For example, the sky in the vicinity of 110.degree. of east longitude is allotted to Japanese broadcasting satellites, and within a hold range of .+-.0.1.degree., one of the two satellites is positioned in a positive (+) 0.1.degree. range while the other is positioned in a negative (-) 0.1.degree. range.
Another method called orbital plane separation is also known wherein the orbital planes of respective satellites, i.e., the angles of inclination of the orbits, are made different from each other to avoid collision, thereby separating the orbital inclination angle vectors.
In the event the number of satellites becomes large and the longitude separation method or the orbital plane separation method is no longer applicable, a method called eccentricity separation can be used wherein a plurality of satellites is separated within a plane. The eccentricity separation method will be explained with reference to FIG. 5.
FIG. 5 illustrates a conventional sun-synchronous eccentricity separation method. A Cartesian coordinate system is defined with the earth at the center and a pair of mutually orthogonal axes .eta. and .xi.. In the illustrated example, four geostationary satellites A, B, C and D are positioned at the same longitude. Eccentricity vectors of the geostationary satellites A, B, C and D are indicted respectively at e.sub.A, e.sub.B, e.sub.C and e.sub.D. The eccentricity vector is a vector having a magnitude equal to the eccentricity and directed along the major axis of an ellipse in the direction of perigee. Perigee is the single point in an elliptical satellite orbit which is closest to the center of the earth. Since the four satellites have respective different eccentricities, they move along paths separated from one another but within the same hold range. The satellites are separated by their eccentricity, hence the method is called eccentricity separation. The eccentricity vectors are greatly influenced by the radiation pressure of the sun, and the points thereof describe circles a, b, c and d, respectively, in a year. Although the circles a, b, c and d intersect one another at several points, the points of the eccentricity vectors rotate synchronously during circling; therefore, the distances between the points of the vectors are always ensured and the satellites do not collide with one another. Thus the conventional eccentricity separation method utilizes the sun-synchronous rotation of the eccentricity. An outer circle R represents an allowable range for the eccentricity, and is calculated from the hold range of the stationary longitude. In other words, each satellite must remain in a respective stationary hold range with respect to a predetermined longitude. Thus, R represents an acceptable margin of error in the satellite orbit.
In large-sized three-axis attitude controlled satellites, variation in the eccentricity vector due to NS coupling is too large to be neglected, possibly causing the eccentricity vector to greatly deviate from the circle of rotation shown in FIG. 5. The NS coupling indicates the phenomenon that NS control for controlling the orbit north or south also affects the east-west position of the satellite. In the case of a box-shaped three-axis satellite, the time of execution of the NS control is long, and during this control period, the attitude of the satellite becomes unstable. To properly control the attitude, an EW control thruster automatically operates, thus changing the eastwest position of the satellite. Also when ejected gas impinges on a paddle and is reflected thereat, a propelling force in the EW direction is produced. Thus, when the NS control is executed, it eventually entails the EW control. Consequently, in some cases, a minimum inter-satellite distance cannot be secured. The point of the eccentricity vector rotates under the influence of the radiation pressure of the sun, as mentioned above, and the radius of the rotation is determined by the size (sectional area) and weight of the satellite.
Where the satellites to be controlled are large-sized three-axis attitude controlled satellites, the conventional sun-synchronous eccentricity separation method can only keep a maximum of three satellites in position, though eccentricity vector variations due to large NS coupling or the solar radiation pressure depend upon the performance of the propulsion system and the size and weight of the satellites.

Method of controlling a plurality of satellites


A method wherein a location or position sensor cooperates with a controller or other operating system such that a predefined motion pattern (circular motion, double click, translatory motion, reciprocal motion, and the like, and any combination thereof) of the sensor performs one or more specific tasks, which are not necessary related to the spatial locations per se of the sensor. Also a method for identifying sensors and landmarks is described including sensing the present location of the sensor plus an additional point and comparing with locations in the recent past.

There are many applications that require some sort of confirmation to a system that sensors have been placed properly on objects for different purposes, such as sensing, monitoring, measuring or diagnosing. For example, temperature sensors, such as thermocouples or thermistors, may be placed on an internal combustion engine to provide a thermal mapping of the engine. Biosensors, such as pulse sensors, blood pressure sensors, CO2 sensors, etc., may be placed on a patient to monitor various activities, such as heart function, breathing, perspiration, etc.
One important example of a medical application that requires placing sensors on objects and which takes into account the spatial position of the sensor or of some landmark location (e.g., some anatomical part) is that of monitoring the progress of labor during childbirth. Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,279, entitled "Method And Apparatus For Monitoring The Progress Of Labor", describes such an application. Briefly, in one of the methods described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,279, a position sensor is attached to a predetermined point on the mother's pelvic bones, and the location of the position sensor in three-dimensional space is monitored relative to a reference. The location of a fetal presenting part (e.g., the tip or the bi-parietal diameter (BPD) of the fetal head) may be monitored with respect to the predetermined point on the mother's pelvic bones to provide an indication of the progress of labor. Not only may position sensors be used to monitor the location of the fetal presenting part, but they may also be used to monitor the position of the sides of the mother's uterine cervix.
If more than one sensor is used, it is readily understood that each sensor must be properly identified. Various methods are known in the art for identifying the abovementioned sensors. For example, independent external verification signals have been used to identify sensors.

Method for monitoring orientation of a maternal pelvis


There are provided a point search apparatus and an in-vehicle navigation apparatus capable of searching destination candidates from which a user can view a visual target that he/she desires. A search means is formed so as to search destination candidates from which the user can see a visual target specified by visual target specifying means based on information regarding the three-dimensional position of the visual target and information regarding the three-dimensional position of a point that fulfills a search condition determined by a search condition determining means, and which exists around the visual target.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a point search apparatus and an in-vehicle navigation apparatus, particularly to a point search apparatus and an in-vehicle navigation apparatus for searching destination candidates.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in-vehicle navigation apparatuses have performed a search of destination candidates when the user sets a destination of navigation and provided the candidates to the user. In searching the destination candidates, a candidate is identified based on various search conditions such as types and addresses from many objects that exist in map information. Then, a destination of navigation is set by a user selecting a desired destination candidate from the destination candidates provided as the result of searching destination candidates.
Further, in-vehicle navigation apparatuses conventionally have been provided with a periphery search function for searching facilities that exist within a predetermined distance from a predetermined search starting point by using map information. For example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-177232 publication.
However, it was impossible for the conventional in-vehicle navigation apparatuses to search destination candidates from which the user could surely see a particular visual target that the user desires, such as a restaurant with a view of a port, for example.
Even in the case where the above-described periphery search function is used and a periphery search for destination candidates (a restaurant, for example) is performed by using a particular visual target (a port, for example) as the search starting point, it was impossible to surely see the visual target from a searched destination candidate if an obstacle (a high building, for example) existed between the destination candidate and the visual target.

Point search apparatus and in-vehicle navigation apparatus


A nozzle for a cleaner according to an aspect of the present invention comprises: a housing; and a rotation cleaning portion rotatably coupled to the housing and having a body part and a brush part which is coupled to the outer peripheral side of the body part. The brush part comprises: a first brush coupled to the outer peripheral side of the body part and extending in the radial direction of the body part; and a second brush disposed alongside the first brush. The first brush is disposed so as to come in contact with a floor surface prior to the second brush during the rotation of the rotation cleaning portion, and is less stiff than the first brush.

In general, a vacuum cleaner is a device for sucking in air including dust using suction force generated by a suction motor installed in a cleaner body and then filtering out dust in a dust separation device. Such a vacuum cleaner is classified into a canister type cleaner including a suction nozzle provided separately from a body and connected thereto by a connection device to suck in dust, an upright type cleaner including a suction nozzle rotatably connected to a body, and a handy type vacuum cleaner used in a state in which a user grips a body by hand.
The suction nozzle of a conventional vacuum cleaner is provided with an agitator which is a rotary brush having bristles. The agitator is capable of performing cleaning while scraping dust on a floor or in a carpet.
Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2014-0123091 as a prior art document discloses a vacuum cleaner head.
The cleaner head of the prior art document includes a brush bar provided in a chamber and a motor for driving the brush bar. The motor rotates the brush bar, and the brush bar strikes a surface to be cleaned while the brush bar rotates. Accordingly, the brush bar is referred to as an agitator. The motor is inserted into the brush bar.
Meanwhile, in the cleaner head of the prior art document, the brush bar is provided with bristles to remove dirt adhered to a carpet, etc. However, a hair or a thread may be entangled with or wound on the brush bar, that is, a tangle may occur. Therefore, performance of the brush bar (or the agitator) may deteriorate.


A power-gating system and method for integrated circuit devices wherein the minimization of “Standby” or “Sleep Mode” current is a design factor and wherein an output stage is coupled directly between a supply voltage level (VCC) and a reference voltage level (VSS). In a representative complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) implementation, the gate of the N-channel output transistor in the final inverter stage may be driven below VSS in Sleep Mode while, alternatively, the corresponding P-channel transistor can be driven above VCC. In Active Mode, the switching speed of the output stage is not impacted, and the preceding stage can be made smaller than that of the output stage.

The present invention relates, in general, to the field of integrated circuit (IC) devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to a power-gating system and method for integrated circuit devices wherein the minimization of "Standby" or "Sleep Mode" current is a design factor.
Power-gating has been used in conjunction with various circuits to reduce Sleep Mode power. Conventionally, this is achieved by adding transistors in the VCC and VSS supply paths to the circuit. These power gate transistors are turned "on" during an Active Mode of operation and turned "off" during Sleep Mode to reduce the total static current due to transistor "off" current. Typically, the gate terminals of the power gate transistors are forced to higher than VCC (in the case of P-channel devices) or lower than VSS (in the case of N-channel devices) voltage levels so that their voltage gate-to-source (VGS) is negative. This reduces the "off" current of these transistors significantly.
However, since there are often a large number of circuits coupled to these power gate transistors, and all of these circuits may be switching at about the same time, the current surge through the power gate transistors during an Active Mode operation ends up being very large. This current surge causes a voltage drop across the power gate transistors which tends to have the same effect as reducing the level of VCC, thereby degrading performance. Furthermore, these power gate transistors must, of necessity, be made extremely large to avoid degrading circuit speed too much, (although such degradation nonetheless occurs to at least some extent) thereby consuming an excessive amount of on-chip area.
In write data driver circuits associated with integrated circuit memory arrays, this conventional approach is effective if the power-gate transistors can be shared by a significant number of circuits that do not switch at the same time. However, in the case of integrated circuit memory devices and those incorporating embedded memory where there are a large number of write data drivers (for example up to 256 or more) that switch at the same time, the current surge going through the power-gate transistors can be very large. This results in a voltage drop across the power-gate transistor which limits the switching speed of the output stage of the write data driver circuits.

Power-gating system and method for integrated circuit devices


An add-on seat assembly is provided for temporary attachment to the rear of a vehicle. Such seat assembly includes a hitch bar, one end of which has, intimately associated therewith, a structure and arrangement for releasable attachment to a trailer hitch which is intimately associated with the rear of a vehicle. The hitch bar includes a securement structure extending across the opposed other end thereof. The seat assembly includes a pair of arms that are demountably and rotatably attached to a respective one opposed end of the securement structure. The seat assembly also includes a pair of seat units, each including a seat bottom that is foldably secured to a seat back, the bottom of the seat bottom including a structure for demountably and rotatably attaching the seat unit to a respective one of the pair of arms.

There is often a use for seating accommodation outside a parked vehicle. One example is at sporting events, when an outdoor party or picnic occurs before the sporting event, typically in the parking lot around the vehicles. Another example is when camping or while making a stop while driving, when it is convenient to have seating outside of the vehicle to sit outdoors, for picnics or to socialize. Still another example is for outdoor sports and recreation, when it is useful to have an outdoor seating and work area to prepare equipment or sit while carrying out the activity. Yet another example is for fieldwork, such as at a construction site, when it is useful to have a convenient seating and eating area for breaks and a place to review work and papers.
One possibility for providing seating around a parked vehicle is to transport chairs in the vehicle to use at the site. Another possibility is to use folding chairs.


A solar cell having on a light incident surface side an electrode with both low resistivity and high transparency to promote efficient excitation of carriers using inexpensive materials. The solar cell includes a photoelectric conversion layer, a first electrode layer arranged on the light incident surface side, and a second electrode layer arranged opposed to the first electrode layer. The first electrode layer has a thickness in the range of 10 to 200 nm, and plural penetrating openings, each of which occupies an area in the range of 80 nm2 to 0.8 μm2, and has an aperture ratio in the range 10 to 66%. The first electrode layer can be produced by etching using an etching mask in the form of a single particle layer of fine particles, or of a dot pattern formed by self-assembly of a block copolymer, or of a stamper.

Solar cells directly convert inexhaustible and clean pollution-free solar energy into electrical energy, and hence they can be said to be important key devices in view of the environmental and energy exhaustion problems.
In general, a solar cell comprises a light incident surface side electrode arranged on the side where solar light enters, a counter electrode, and a semiconductor photoelectric conversion layer sandwiched between the electrodes. The photoelectric conversion layer now industrially produced is commonly made of silicon (Si), and the solar cell using Si normally includes a PN or PIN junction of monocrystalline Si, polycrystalline Si or amorphous Si (hereinafter, often referred to as "a-Si"). Besides that, there are also practical solar cells using compound semiconductors such as GaAs and chalcopyrite. The light incident-side electrodes adopted in many solar cells are comb-shaped metal electrodes, which are called "finger electrodes". However, solar cells using semiconductors having large surface resistivity, such as solar cells of a-Si type, are often equipped with not finger electrodes but transparent electroconductive films as the light incident-side electrodes.
At present, the largest problem of solar cells is to increase the photoelectric conversion efficiency. The photoelectric conversion efficiency of solar cells is generally in the range of about 10 to 15%. In order to increase the conversion efficiency, various improvements have been hitherto made. Those improvements are, for example, in that an antireflection film is formed and/or the light receiving surface is made to have a texture structure so as to reduce the reflection loss and in that a getter layer or a surface passivation film is provided so as to prevent the carrier recombination in the bulk or on the surface. Further, the improvements particularly for enhancing the light-receiving efficiency are, for example, in that the semiconductor layer is thickened and/or made of materials having large light-absorption coefficients and in that the effective incident area is enlarged by adopting an embedded electrode or a back electrode type solar cell.
It is also studied to improve the electrode structure for the sake of increasing the light transmittance and/or the conversion efficiency.
Those prior improvements, which, for example, aim at enlarging the effective incident area, are mainly for the purpose of increasing the light transmittance, and hence they by no means increase the conversion efficiency of the absorbed solar light for carrier excitation. The conversion efficiency, therefore, is not significantly improved.

Process for manufacturing solar cell equipped with electrode having mesh structure