An adaptive equalizer capable of reducing an amount of calculation necessary for signal processing to such a degree that the accuracy of adaptive processing does not deteriorate and thereby reducing power consumption. When the transmission path is in a situation in which the influence of fading is small judging from the previous reception performance, a transmission path situation decision section (106) generates a control signal which causes a correlation window size control section (105) to change a correlation window size, generates a control signal preventing a matrix operator (103) from performing a calculation operation and generates a control signal which causes a selector (104) to select the output of a first correlator (101). As a result, it is possible to reduce the amount of calculation when the situation of the transmission path is relatively good.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adaptive equalizer used principally for a receiver for digital radio communication involving fading.
2. Description of Related Art
In a radio communication receiver, radio waves of a plurality of paths with different propagation times are generally received simultaneously due to influences of multi-path fading. For this reason, delay distortion occurs in a received signal and its bit error rate characteristic deteriorates. This delay distortion increases as the symbol rate increases and influences of delay distortion can no longer be ignored in high-speed digital mobile communication devices in the future. Therefore, eliminating delay distortion is becoming indispensable for the digital radio communication receiver.
An adaptive equalizer is conventionally incorporated in a receiver which carries out high-speed transmission as typical means for estimating the delay distortion and is also incorporated in a cellular phone, etc., based on GSM which is a digital cellular phone standard in Europe in recent years.
When equalization is performed on a transmission path in which multi-path fading occurs, transmission data having a training period is used. That is, transmission data is delimited in slot units and a training period is provided at the start of each slot. In this training period, default data called a "training sequence", that is, a transmission signal with a default waveform is inserted. An adaptive equalizer mounted in a receiver makes a comparison with the default data during the training period and estimates the delay distortion. Then, the adaptive equalizer is designed to make a decision on data based on the estimated delay distortion in the part of the slot other than the training period. With reference to FIG. 1, an overview of a conventional adaptive equalizer will be explained below.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a conventional adaptive equalizer. The adaptive equalizer shown in FIG. 1 is basically constructed of a first correlator 1, a second correlator 2 and a matrix operator 3.
The first correlator 1 receives a received signal converted to a baseband signal and a training sequence which is a signal out of the received signal known to the receiver as inputs, calculates a cross-correlation between the two signals and outputs a first correlation value calculated to the matrix operator 3. Here, a correlation sample interval τ is expressed as τ=T/K, where T is a symbol period and K is an oversampling rate. Furthermore, the correlation window size is L (L≧1).
The second correlator 2 calculates and stores an inverse matrix of an auto-correlation matrix between the training sequences. Or it calculates and stores an inverse matrix of the auto-correlation matrix beforehand. The calculation result of the second correlator 2 (second correlation value) is output to the matrix operator 3.
Using the output of the first correlator 1 (first correlation value) as a row vector and the output of the second correlator 2 (second correlation value) as a matrix, the matrix operator 3 multiplies this row vector by the matrix and outputs transmission path channel coefficients (c1 to cM) to a reception processing system.
The operation of the conventional adaptive equalizer in the above described configuration will be explained. A transmission path channel impulse response is updated from an input signal based on Expression (1) below:CT=(Σk=[t−L+1, t]XkAkT)×(Σk=[t−L+1, t]AkAkT)−1  (1)In Expression (1) , the first term on the right-hand side denotes the output of the first correlator 1 (cross-correlation between the received signal and training sequence) and the second term on the right-hand side denotes the output of the second correlator 2 (auto-correlation inverse matrix between the training sequences).
In Expression (1) , superscript T denotes a matrix transposition operation. Furthermore, a variable Xk with subscript k denotes a sampling value located at time t=kτ in the slot. L denotes a window size. Furthermore, a variable Ak with subscript k denotes each value at time t=kτ and is expressed by Expression (2):Ak=(ak, ak−1, . . . , ak−M+1)T  (2)In Expression (2) , ak denotes a known symbol located at time t=kτ in the slot.
A transmission path channel impulse response C in Expression (1) is expressed according to Expression (3) using coefficient cn of the transmission path channel impulse response estimated by the adaptive equalizer:C=(c1, c2, . . . , cM)T  (3)
However, the conventional adaptive equalizer requires matrix multiplication between 1×M matrix and M×M matrix and requires M2 complex multiplications and M2 complex additions. As a result, the amount of calculation increases in proportion to the square of the number of coefficients M of the transmission path channel impulse response calculated, and therefore there is a problem that power consumption increases.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


In order to provide a fluoride refining method and a fluoride crystal manufacturing method that have great general-purpose properties and can reduce the manufacturing cost and to provide at a low cost a fluoride crystal, an optical part and an aligner the transmission characteristics of which are hardly degraded even when repeatedly irradiated with a high-output light of a short wavelength for a long term, there is provided a method of refining a fluoride comprising the heating step of heating a solid scavenger-added fluoride raw material to melt the raw material and the cooling step of cooling the molten fluoride material to solidify the melt, wherein the environment of a chamber housing the fluoride raw material is changed to such an environment that a gas in the chamber is discharged to the outside of the chamber more easily than the environment before the change, during the heating step.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fluoride refining method and a fluoride crystal manufacturing method which are suitable for various optical elements, lenses, window materials, prisms or the like used for a light of a predetermined wavelength selected from a wide wavelength range between the vacuum ultraviolet region and the far infrared region. Further, the present invention relates to a technical field of optical parts and an aligner using the same.
2. Related Background Art
A fluoride crystal such as one of calcium fluoride has a high transmittance in a wide wavelength range between the vacuum ultraviolet region and the far infrared region, and is widely used for various optical elements, lenses, window materials, prisms or the like. Among them, fluorite (calcium fluoride) which is excellent in transmission characteristics at shorter wavelength is useful as an optical part for excimer laser. In particular, a calcium fluoride crystal of 70% or more in its internal transmittance to light of 135 nm in wavelength has a superior durability to an ArF excimer laser, and its transmission characteristics are less degraded by repeated irradiation with high-output laser.
For such a fluoride crystal, a process for melting and refining a raw material is required to increase bulk density of the raw material and remove impurities of the raw material. In this refining process, a scavenger which is a metal fluoride must be added to a raw material to remove an oxide produced by a reaction of the raw material with water or the like, or impurities in the raw material. For example, when the fluoride crystal is calcium fluoride, and when the scavenger is solid ZnF2, CaO produced by a reaction of the raw material with water reacts with ZnF2 to be converted to CaF2, while the scavenger becomes ZnO to evaporate during melting of the raw material.
When a high-quality fluoride crystal with superior optical performance is to be obtained, the above mentioned refining process must be repeated several times. In addition, a raw material of a high purity with less impurities must be employed.
When a crystal is manufactured using the thus obtained fluoride crystal block as a raw material, a fluoride crystal with very superior optical performance such as transmission characteristics is obtained.
On the other hand, there is a method in which a gaseous scavenger is used instead of a solid scavenger. A reactive gas that can be used as a gaseous scavenger includes hydrogen fluoride gas or carbon fluoride gas.
However, since the solid scavenger contains a metal element, there is a case where the metal element remains in the crystal, which affects the transmission characteristics. Therefore, when the addition amount of the solid scavenger is decreased, or when a cover of a crucible is bored to increase degassing properties, the metal element from the scavenger hardly remains in the crystal. However, if the addition amount is too small, the effect of the scavenger decreases. In addition, if the degassing properties are increased excessively by boring the crucible cover excessively, the scavenger is discharged to the outside of the crucible before exhibiting its effect. Thus, improvement in the transmission characteristics is prevented by contamination of the fluoride with an oxide or the like. Therefore, it becomes important to define an optimum addition amount of a scavenger or to design a crucible in such a shape as to optimize the degassing properties. However, these vary depending on the content of water or impurities of a raw material, and lacks general-purpose use.
On the other hand, a hydrogen fluoride gas of the gaseous scavenger has corrosion properties, and sulfur tetrafluoride and boron trifluoride have toxicity. Thus, the management cost is increased. In addition, the gas is dissolved in the melt and is often incorporated as air bubbles into the crystal (Guggenheim, J. Appl. Phys. 34, pp. 2482-2485 (1963)), and satisfactory transmission characteristics are hardly obtained.
Further, when a carbon fluoride gas such as methane tetrafluoride (CF4) is used as a reactive gas, a crystal with superior transmission characteristics can be obtained. However, these gases are very stable in the air. Further, these gases are greenhouse effect gasses causing global warming as with carbon dioxide and must be removed by decomposition with plasma or the like, thereby increasing the management cost.
An object of the present invention is to provide a fluoride refining method and a fluoride crystal manufacturing method that have great general-purpose properties and can reduce the manufacturing cost.
Another object of the present invention is to provide at a low cost a fluoride crystal, an optical part and an aligner the transmission characteristics of which are hardly degraded even when repeatedly irradiated with a high-output light of a short wavelength for a long term.
The method of refining a fluoride according to the present invention comprises the heating step of heating a solid scavenger-added fluoride raw material to melt the raw material and the cooling step of cooling the molten fluoride material to solidify the melt, wherein the environment of a chamber housing the fluoride raw material is changed to such an environment that a gas in the chamber is discharged to the outside of the chamber more easily than the environment before the change, during the heating step.

Fluoride refining method and fluoride crystal manufacturing method, and optical part and aligner using same


Provided is a thin film having self-supporting properties and having excellent strength, durability and flexibility and a method for manufacturing the thin film. A thin film having an interpenetrating net-work layer and having a film thickness of 500 nm or less, the interpenetrating net-work layer being constituted of at least a metal oxide and an organic polymer.

Since composite materials constituted of an organic compound and a metal oxide can be expected to have mechanical, physical and chemical characteristics which are not owned by each of the materials, the development of such composite materials is keenly required in various fields. In particular, since composite materials composed of a polymer compound and a metal oxide have a mechanical characteristic combining toughness of the polymer and rigidity of the oxide, they are ranked as one of important materials of today. The composite materials composed of a polymer compound and a metal oxide are excellent in elasticity, abrasion resistance and chemical stability and are also expected as a tire or a shield material in the future. Furthermore, metal oxides containing an organic molecule are studied for applications over a wide range of from coloration of general-purpose materials to novel optical elements.
Now, the majority of characteristics of such composite materials become substantially valuable first time when fabricated in a thin film. For example, in the semiconductor industry of today, high integration of a layer of an electronic device is an important technical goal. But, in order to achieve this goal, a stable insulating thin film whose thickness is controlled at a nano level is absolutely essential. Also, in precision electronic instruments where mechanical friction is generated, such as hard disks, it is considered that a thin film having characteristics of adequate softness and abrasion resistance both of which conflict with each other at a glance is necessary.
As the thin film complying with these requirements, Patent Document 1 (PCT International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 03/095193) discloses a thin film constituted of a thin film layer of a polymer having a hydroxyl group or a carboxyl group on the surface thereof and a metal oxide thin film layer or an organic/metal oxide composite thin film layer which binds coordinately or covalently with the thin film layer of a polymer utilizing the hydroxyl group or carboxyl group and having a whole thickness of not more than 300 nm. This PCT International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 03/095193 also discloses a method for manufacturing such a thin film.
However, in the method described in PCT International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 03/095193, the organic layer and the inorganic layer are bound with each other by a coordinate bond or covalent bond of a carboxyl group or a hydroxyl group. For that reason, the organic layer and the inorganic layer are independent from each other, and when it is intended to keep strength and flexibility while making the film thin in thickness, there is generated a limit.
Now, in general, the more the surface area of a film is increased, the more a defect is easily generated on the film surface. For that reason, it is well known that there may be the case where a manufacturing method which can be applied in the case of manufacturing a film with a small surface area cannot be applied in the case of manufacturing a film with a large surface area. In particular, when it is intended to manufacture a film with a large surface area which is excellent in strength and flexibility, an additional problem tends to attend thereon.
Actually, an example for successfully manufacturing an ultra-thin film with a large surface area which is excellent in all of strength, durability and flexibility has not been known yet.
Patent Document 1: PCT International Publication Pamphlet No. WO 03/095193

Thin film having interpenetrating network layer and method for manufacturing the thin film


In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses utilize an application within a meeting zone; monitor usage within the meeting zone; detect a resource located outside the meeting zone; dynamically add the resource within the meeting zone; and update a database configured to track a status of the resource.

There has been an increased use in collaboration sessions that are Internet or web-based to communicate with employees, vendors, and clients. During these collaboration sessions, information is typically exchanged between multiple participants. This exchanged information may include audio, graphical, and/or textual information.
Exchanging information during the collaboration session typically utilizes bandwidth during transmission to the participants and computational and storage resources for hosting the collaboration session through a collaboration system. During collaboration sessions, increased demands are typically placed on the computational and storage resources within the collaboration system.

Methods and apparatuses for managing resources within a collaboration system


An integral, one piece tubular product with a threaded end for mating with threaded connectors is produced by preforming a series of compression and expansion operations on the end of a tubing blank to provide a sufficiently thick wall structure for the formation of rolled threads, and to directly form an external hex head surface for the application of wrenching forces.

This patent relates to the field of tubing and tubing connectors. Metal tubing is widely used for the supply of liquids and gases under high pressures and temperatures. Sections of such tubing are connected by fittings which must fasten together straight sections of tubing, by providing a joint which withstands mechanical separation forces and which does not leak.
The such joints are typically formed by mounting separate threaded connectors to the tubing ends. These separate connectors are slid over the tubing section ends and permit the tubing ends to be fastened together by interlocking corresponding connectors. Such connections are referred to herein as two piece connectors. Securing the connectors to the tubing ends forms the basis of the mechanical interconnection. In the prior art, such connections are usually formed by either flaring the tube so that the connector bears on the tube, applying sufficient force to hold the tubing ends in tight connection, or a relatively soft metal collar is deformed by the connector against the outer wall of the tubing to form both a seal against leaks and a means for the connector to grip the tube to exert forces against the tendency of the tubing joint to come apart.

One piece tubing connector and method of forming same


An abnormality detection apparatus for detecting an abnormality of an oil level sensor having lower and upper oil level detectors includes: a recording portion that records the output of the upper oil level detector before the internal combustion engine is started; and a determining portion that determines that the upper oil level detector has an abnormality if the output of the lower oil level detector is indicating, after the start of the internal combustion engine, that the oil level is higher than the first reference oil level while the output of the upper oil level detector recorded by the recording portion is indicating that the oil level was lower than the second reference oil level before the start of the internal combustion engine.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a technology for detecting an abnormality of an oil level sensor that detects the oil level in the oil pan of an internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-130519 (JP-A-3-130519, Page 5, FIG. 3, FIG. 5) and Japanese Patent Application No. 5-163923 (JP-A-5-163923, Page 3 to 4, FIG. 5) each recite a technology for detecting abnormalities of upper and lower oil level detectors (upper and lower switches) of an oil level sensor that are provided in the oil pan of an internal combustion engine.
In the technologies described in the above publications, based on the premise that a specific combination of the outputs of the two oil level detectors does not last a long time because the oil surface is ruffled as the vehicle runs, it is determined that the oil level detector or portions have an abnormality when a specific combination of the outputs of the two oil level detectors lasts a long time.
With the increasing importance of exhaust purification, devices for purifying exhaust gas, such as catalysts and filters, have been increasingly used. In some internal combustion engines incorporating such an exhaust purification device, fuel is supplied to the exhaust purification device from the combustion chamber side in order to burn and thus remove the particulate matter (PM) accumulated in the exhaust purification device or to promote or continue the catalyst reactions. For example, in some diesel engines, so-called after-injection or post-injections are performed.
When such fuel injection for supplying fuel to an exhaust purification device is performed in each combustion chamber, fuel tends to be mixed into the engine oil through between the cylinder wall and the piston. The more the fuel is mixed into the engine oil, the viscosity of the engine oil decreases, which may result in stuck up due to heat or excessive rising of the oil level in the oil pan, causing a leak of the engine oil (e.g., a leak of the engine oil to the PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) path via which blow-by gas is supplied to each combustion chamber).
As such, in order to promptly detect that fuel has been mixed into the engine oil, an oil level detector is provided at a position higher than the level at which the oil surface normally remains when the internal combustion engine is operating, and if the oil level continues to be above the position of the oil level detector during the operation of the internal combustion engine, it is determined that fuel has already been mixed into the engine oil and thus the engine oil needs to be changed.
However, in a case where the oil level detector is out of order continuing to output a signal indicating that the oil level is lower than the position of the oil level detector, the mixing-in of fuel can not be detected, and therefore problems, such as a decrease in the oil viscosity and excessive rising of the oil level, may occur.
To counter this, one option is to determine that the oil level detector has an abnormality when the oil level detector has continued to produce a specific output for a long time, based on the premise that it is impossible for the oil level detector to continue to produce a specific output for a long time if it is in the normal condition, as in the methods employed in the above-stated publications.
This abnormality detection method, however, takes a long time before detecting an abnormality with precision. If an abnormality can not be detected and no counter-measure for the abnormality is taken for a long time, it allows fuel to be mixed into the engine oil.

Abnormality detection apparatus and method for oil level sensor


The present invention is related to lawn maintenance and describes a system for mounting an accessory, such as a grass trimmer, to a riding lawnmower. The mounting system is simple, durable, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain, but provides a lawnmower operator the ability to operate an accessory while seated in the lawnmower. The mounting system is also advantageous in that the lawnmower operator need not specifically align the mower with any objects that present an obstacle for mowing, but may instead move the accessory to the object. The accessory mounting system comprises at least one link between a vertical pivot bar forming an axis for horizontal movement of the accessory and horizontal pivot point allowing vertical movement of the accessory.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for mounting an accessory, such as a grass trimmer, to a riding lawnmower.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In the field of lawn maintenance, a number of accessories may be needed in addition to a lawn mower to properly manicure a property. To prevent the mower operator from having to make multiple trips around the lawn after having mowed it, a variety of ways of combining lawn mowers with other accessories have been suggested. However, the prior art shows that attempts to mount accessories such as grass trimmers, edgers, and so forth to the mower have been insufficient in some respects. For the most part, where simple accessory mounting systems are suggested, the accessory is relatively rigidly mounted to the mower so that the mower operator is required to position the mower in order to position the accessory. Where the accessory is mounted in such a way as to grant a wider range of movement, the accessory mounting system often is mechanically complex and therefore susceptible to damage and expensive repairs. What is needed is an accessory mounting system that is simple, durable, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and maintain, but that also provides the mower operator with a wide range of accessory positioning options that are relatively independent of the mower position.

Accessory mounting system for a riding lawnmower


The welding operation performed by the clamp 12 is under the control of a welding cabinet 15 including a servo-control unit 16' and an electronic switch 17. The clamp is moved from one weld spot to another by a robot 13 under the control of a control unit 14 provided with a servo-control unit 16. The switch 17 is controlled in such a manner that the welding operation and the beginning of the clamp opening operation and the end of the clamp closing operation are under the control of the welding cabinet 15 (with the robot then remaining stationary), while displacement of the clamp synchronizing with wide opening and closing thereof are under the control of the control unit 14.

The present invention relates to an installation for controlling tooling that includes a clamp for the purpose of performing a particular operation on workpieces, relative displacements between the clamp and said workpieces being controlled by an automatic positioning system, and more particularly to such an installation including a unit for controlling said operation, a servo-control unit suitable for controlling mainly the opening and closing of said clamp via drive means, a unit for controlling said positioning system, and a sensor suitable for providing information relating to progress of said operation.
The tooling having a clamp or other clamping members may be constituted, for example, by an electric spot welding clamp, by a tool for clamping or crimping or stapling, or by any other tool of the same type in which two co-operating members of the hinged or guided jaw type are required at a given moment to move towards the workpiece(s) to be treated or assembled, and then to move apart, and to be transferred to another work position. The automatic positioning system may be constituted by a robot or by a manipulator, under the control of a programmable controller or computer, with control being numerical or the like.
Mention is made above of relative displacement between the clamp and the workpieces. That covers the robot moving the workpieces, while the tooling including the clamp is stationary relative to the ground, and also the robot transporting the tooling, while the workpiece(s) is/are stationary relative to the ground.
The above-mentioned drive means that are servo-controlled in position may be constituted by a servo-controlled pneumatic actuator, by a servo-controlled hydraulic actuator, or by a servo-controlled electric motor associated with a mechanical system.
The electric motor technique has been described, in particular, in the following patent applications filed in the name of the Applicant:
French patent application No. 85 12239 filed Aug. 9, 1985;
European patent application No. 87 400305 filed Feb. 11, 1987; and
French patent application No. 89 12344 filed Sep. 20, 1989.
To describe the problem that the present invention seeks to solve, there follows a description of the two techniques presently known in the type of installation defined above, assuming that the problem is to control a resistance welding clamp fitted with a servo-controlled electrical actuator.
FIG. 1 shows a welding clamp fitted with an electrical actuator 1. The clamp is said to be an "X-clamp" since it includes a single hinge at 7. The clamp is constituted by an upper electrode-carrying arm 3 and a lower electrode-carrying arm 2. These two arms are hinged relative to each other about the above-mentioned hinge axis 7. One of the two arms may be connected to the fixed cradle 14 of the clamp by a backing-off and automatic centering system such as that described in French patent application No. 89 12344 filed Sep. 20, 1989. The electrical actuator 1 is connected firstly to the arm 3 via an actuator rod 11, and secondly to the arm 2 via an actuator stator 5 and a crank 2a. The electric actuator is constituted by an electric motor whose rotor 10 receives the nut of a nut and ballscrew system 6 for transforming the rotary motion of the motor into translation of the rod 11. The motor includes a position sensor 8 of the resolver type or of some other type (incremental, potentiometer, etc.), thereby enabling the control system to be informed about the angular position of the rotor and thus enabling the motor and ballscrew assembly to be servo-controlled in position and in velocity. Other sensors specific to the application (for measuring force, current, acceleration, etc.) may also be installed.
In the example described, the clamp is fixed on the wrist 9 of a robot suitable for displacing the clamp, with the workpieces 12' and 13' to be welded remaining stationary relative to the ground.
Together the motor and the hinge make it possible to close the clamp, i.e. to clamp sheet metal workpieces 12' and 13' between the electrodes 2' and 3', thereby bringing the workpieces towards each other. Once sufficient force is applied, current is passed through the assembled workpieces so as to form a melt spot between the workpieces 12' and 13', thereby obtaining a spot weld N. Once the welding cycle is completed, the motor is controlled to open the arms 2 and 3, with the servo-control system opening them far enough apart to enable them to reach the following spot N+1. Once the clamp has been opened, the robot can displace it to the following spot and start a new welding cycle.
FIGS. 2a and 2b show a clamp 12 mounted at the end of a robot 13 under the control of a control unit 14. The clamp is connected to a welding cabinet 15 (the unit that controls the operation) for controlling the welding cycle, i.e. for monitoring the flow of welding current through the workpieces to be welded.
Two configurations may be provided for the unit 16 that servo-controls the clamp motor:
Configuration No. 1: This configuration is shown in FIG. 2a where the servo-control unit 16 is included in the welding cabinet 15, thereby presenting numerous advantages:
a) accurate synchronization can be obtained between the position of the electrodes, the force between the electrodes, and the welding current. This gives rise to a reduction in cycle time (welding current can be applied as soon as the necessary force is achieved);
b) improved quality (while the current is flowing, the strength of the force is known reliably);
c) improved reliability (when the clamp closes, numerous tests relating to the distance between the electrodes can be performed: whether the thickness of the stack of sheet metal is correct; how far the electrodes have worn, etc.); and
d) all of the parameters relating to welding are brought together in a single control unit, thereby providing a clear functional separation between the welding portions and the handling portions (robot).
Unfortunately, this configuration suffers from a drawback due to the fact that the opening of the clamp is not controlled by the robot: before the robot can be allowed to move to the following spot, the clamp must have opened sufficiently to ensure that any obstacles between the two spots can be cleared. This gives rise to the trajectory shown in FIG. 3a. Unfortunately, the time required to obtain such opening (portion a-b) is added to the cycle time, thereby penalizing the productivity of the installation. Similarly, closure can be initiated only once the robot has reached the next spot (spot c). The time required for closure (c-d) is then added to the displacement time of the robot.
Configuration No. 2: This configuration corresponds to FIG. 2b in which the servo-control unit 16 is integrated in the robot control cabinet 14. The cabinet 14 can then control the clamp as though it constituted an additional axis (e.g. a seventh axis if the robot already has six), and as a result it can synchronize clamp opening with the other displacements of the robot. This gives rise to the trajectory shown in FIG. 3b. This technique has an immediate advantage in that the time required for opening and closing the clamp on going from one spot to another can be masked completely or in part by the displacement time of the robot, thereby giving rise to significant productivity gain. In addition, this concept greatly facilitates on-site programming by robot training.
In contrast, this method includes as drawbacks the "advantages" listed for the preceding technique:
a) difficulty of obtaining synchronization between the position of the electrodes, the force between the electrodes, and the welding current, thereby lengthening cycle times;
b) this synchronization difficulty can give rise to reduced quality;
c) no specialized test functions relating to the welding operation: monitoring the thickness of the stack of sheet metal workpieces, monitoring the extent of electrode wear, etc.;
d) no clear separation between welding functions and handling functions (robot), thereby complicating adjustment, development, and maintenance; and
e) it is sometimes necessary to perform special software development in the control cabinet for the robot or the manipulator, for example to make it possible to provide position and force servo-control for the tool.

Installation for controlling tooling including a clamp for performing a determined operation on workpieces, relative displacement of the clamp and said workpieces being controlled by an automatic positioning system


In a hot channel injection molding nozzle comprising a nozzle body including a mass flow channel for a melt to be injected into a mold, wherein the nozzle body has a nozzle outlet opening at one end and an inlet opening disposed at one side of the other end of the nozzle body and a valve needle extending through the nozzle body to the outlet opening for blocking the melt flow, a valve needle guide sleeve is disposed in the nozzle body so as to delimit the mass flow channel in the area of the inlet opening with the valve needle extending through the guide sleeve.

The invention relates to an injection molding nozzle for hot channel injection molds, comprising a nozzle body which has a mass flow channel for a melt provided at one end with a nozzle discharge opening and, at its other end, with a supply opening arranged at the side of the nozzle body through which a valve needle extends for controlling the discharge of the melt from the nozzle opening.
Such a hot channel nozzle is known, for example, from DE 199 50 273 C1. In the known hot channel nozzle, which is generally installed in an injection molding tool, molten plastic is conducted via channels arranged in the injection molding tool by way of the side supply openings to the mass flow channel. By way of the mass flow channel, which is generally filled with melt, the melt reaches the nozzle discharge opening. When the valve needle opens the nozzle discharge opening, melt can flow into the mold disposed adjacent the nozzle discharge opening. When the valve needle closes, the discharge opening the melt is retained in the mass flow channel. Instead of closing the nozzle discharge opening by the valve needle, also a connecting passage in the injection molding may be closed. In that case, the nozzle discharge opening serves as guide structure for the valve needle.
In order to achieve a high quality for the injection molded parts, it is very important that the melt has a homogeneous consistency. However, the homogeneous consistency which may still be present at the supply opening may be disturbed by the valve needle disposed in the mass flow channel. Since the melt enters the mass flow channel through side openings, it impinges onto the valve needle whereby the melt flow is divided into two parts. Although the two partial flows meet again behind the valve needle, flow lines can be formed. Such flow lines are very objectionable since the flow lines are optically apparent in the injection-molded component and may result in discarding the product. Furthermore, in remote areas of the mass flow channel, melt material may be retained in the known hot channel nozzles and re-entrained into the melt flow at a later time, whereby the homogeneous consistency is also much disturbed.
WO 01/34365 A1 discloses a mixing device for injection molding machines which includes a mass flow channel for plastic material melts with a supply opening arranged at a front end and an outlet opening at the opposite end. In the mass flow channel a cylindrical closure element is disposed by which the outlet opening can be closed.
The closure element or valve needle extends through a bushing whose outer wall is disposed closely adjacent the mass flow channel. At the inner wall, the sleeve is provided with a groove which extends spirally over the full length of the sleeve and which forms a channel with the wall of the mass flow channel. The web formed between two adjacent grooves of the spiral groove structure is disposed at the end of the sleeve remote from the outlet opening of the sleeve tightly on the closure element at least over a full turn. In this way, the melt can reach the outlet opening only through the groove or, respectively, the closed channel formed by means of the closure element.
However, in the direction toward the outlet opening a continuously increasing gap is formed between the web and the closure element so that the melt can flow through that gap also in axial direction to the outlet opening. In this way, a good mixture of the melt is to be obtained. The problem encountered with a side admission opening for the melt however cannot be eliminated by the known mixing element.
It is the object of the invention to provide a hot channel nozzle of the type referred to above in such a way that the melt is delivered with a very high homogeneous consistency.


Methods of fabricating fin structures having exposed upper fin portions with a uniform exposure height are disclosed herein. The fabrication methods include providing a substrate with plurality of fins and a dielectric material disposed between and over the plurality of fins, planarizing the dielectric material and the plurality of fins, and uniformly recessing the dielectric material to a pre-selected depth below upper surfaces of the plurality of fins to expose upper fin portions. The exposed upper fin portions, as a result of uniformly recessing the dielectric material, have a uniform exposure height above the recessed dielectric material. A protective film may be provided over the recessed dielectric material and exposed upper fin portions to preserve the uniform exposure height of the upper fin portions. The uniform exposure height of the exposed upper fin portions facilitates subsequent formation of one or more circuit structures above the substrate.

Fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) devices continue to be developed to replace conventional planar metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) in advanced complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. As is known, the term "fin" refers to a generally vertically-oriented structure within or upon which are formed, for instance, one or more FinFETs or other fin devices, such as passive devices, including capacitors, diodes, etc. Demands for smaller device sizes and challenges in fabricating FinFETS with uniform physical and electrical properties continue to drive development of new techniques of fin fabrication.

Methods of fabricating fin structures of uniform height


A plurality of items is positioned in a volume scanned by a three-dimensional non-optical imaging system. The imaging system generates a three-dimensional voxel image of the volume. Voxel regions are identified and surfaces of voxel regions are analyzed to identify a symbol printed thereon. The symbols are resolved into product identifiers, which are then added to a transaction and payment for the transaction is processed. The imaging system may be a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, computed tomography (CT) scanning system, terahertz (T wave) imaging system, or other imaging system.

Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems and methods for inputting items to a point of sale (POS) device.
Background of the Invention
Retailers constantly strive to draw shoppers into the store and persuade them to make as many purchases as possible. However, a large retailer may alienate customers when large delays at checkout cause annoyance. Typically, checkout involves the customer or a cashier scanning each item to add it to a transaction. Payment is tendered and the transaction is concluded. This individual scanning of items is the principal cause of delays at checkout. Some attempts have been made to enable the customer to scan items as they are retrieved. However, this approach relies on the trustworthiness of the customer and may still require a cashier to verify that a list of items alleged to have been scanned by the customer corresponds to the items in a customer's cart.
The systems and methods described herein provide an improved approach scanning items at checkout in order to significantly reduce delays due to scanning of items.

Simultaneous item scanning in a POS system


This document relates to compositions comprising a non-covalently bound complex comprising cabozantinib and human serum albumin, wherein the cabozantinib and the human serum albumin in the composition have a ratio by weight from about 1:5 to about 1:2000. This document also relates to compositions comprising cabozantinib and human serum albumin, wherein the cabozantinib and the human serum albumin in the composition have a ratio by weight from about 1:5 to about 1:2000. This document also relates to compositions consisting essentially of cabozantinib and human serum albumin, wherein the cabozantinib and the human serum albumin in the composition have a ratio by weight from about 1:5 to about 1:2000.

Cabozantinib is a small molecule inhibitor of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases, including MET (hepatocyte growth factor receptor), VEGFR2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor2), also known as KDR (kinase insert domain containing receptor), and RET (rearranged during transfection), which are implicated in tumor growth, angiogenesis, and metastatic progression of cancer (Yakes et al., Mol Cancer Ther 2011; 10:2298-2308; Bentzien et al., Thyroid 2013; 23: 1569-1577).
Cabozantinib (marketed under the name COMETRIQ) has been approved in the United States and European Union for the treatment of subjects with progressive metastatic medullary thyroid cancer. In addition, more recently, cabozantinib (marketed under the name CABOMETYX) is approved by the US Food and Drug administration (FDA) and indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received prior antiangiogenic therapy.
Cabozantinib is hydrophobic and practically insoluble in water. Therefore, it has been administered mainly via the oral route in a tablet or capsule formulation to patients. Its very poor water solubility prevents its administration by the intravenous route (IV), which may be important in patients unable to take cabozantinib orally. A PEG-lipid-based polymeric micelle formulation for IV delivery of cabozantinib has been developed (Yang et al., BAOJ Pharm Sci. 2015; 1: 1-20). However, there is a need in the art for suitable IV formulations of cabozantinib which are less toxic and with no synthetic polymer used in the IV formulations. The compositions and methods described in the present application help meet this need.


A busway connector is provided including a base, a drive member, a connection component, and a locking member. The locking member is disposed through the base and fastened to the drive member, and the locking member fits with the base to drive the drive member to move in a first direction. The connection component includes a connection block and connection units connected in series in a row, each connection unit includes a first insulation sheet, a first conductive sheet fastened to the first insulation sheet, a second insulation sheet, and a second conductive sheet fastened to the second insulation sheet. A slot is formed between the first conductive sheet and the second conductive sheet, the first insulation sheet is elastically connected to the second insulation sheet by using an elastic member, and the connection block is slidably connected to the base.

With development of science, technology and data, there is an increased demand for data centers. When upgrading data centers, there are increasingly high requirements for high-current transmission security and small product indoor space. In a data center equipment room, using a cable to transmit a high current provides no advantage in terms of security and spatial configuration. Cables are not feasible in data center equipment rooms in terms of multi-socket requirements and the need for subsequent expansion. Because a busway is characterized by a regular structure, convenient installation, flexible configuration, and the like, busways have gradually become a market mainstream in present data center equipment rooms.
The location of the busway on the top of the data center equipment room presents great construction difficulties for construction workers. Therefore, fast busway interconnection needs to be implemented for actual construction processes. However, on an actual construction site, existing busway interconnection processes are difficult to perform. The difficulty is mainly reflected in the following: (1) An interconnection location of a copper busbar needs to be adjusted, but the copper busbar is heavy, thick, and difficult to adjust. (2) A mating/unmating force for interconnecting to a connector is large, assembly is difficult during actual installation, and a surface of the copper busbar may be damaged to different degrees in an assembly process. Therefore, a busway connector that can implement fast connection is urgently needed in the industry.

Busway connector and power supply device

Huawei Digital Power Technologies Co., Ltd.


A metered pump system periodically pumps measured amounts of chemical or biological material into a septic or sewage system. The metered pump system includes a metered pump stand having a main panel with first and second sides, a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges. A pair of feet extends from the first side of the main panel near the bottom edge. An upper flange extends from the second side of the main panel near the top edge. A metered pump may be attached to the first side of the main panel. The upper flange of the metered pump stand is disposed above a portion of a material container that supplies chemical or biological material to the metered pump. The disclosed metered pump system is customizable by interchanging components while using the same metered pump stand.

1. Field of the Disclosure
The invention generally relates to metered pump stands for metered pumps that periodically pump measured amounts of chemical or biological material into septic or sewage systems.
2. Related Technology
Certain systems require periodic additions of chemical or biological material to keep the systems running smoothly. For example, boiler systems, cooling towers, septic tanks, or other sewage systems, may require periodic additions of chemical or biological material to break down sewage in the system, or to clean fouling substances from pipes, so that the system continues to run smoothly. Similarly, plumbing systems, in particular drains in plumbing systems, may require periodic additions of chemical or biological materials to clear drains of blockages or build-ups.
Pumps and pumping devices have been developed that periodically meter a set amount of chemical or biological material into drains or sumps of septic or sewage systems. These pumps are connected to a supply of chemical or biological material. The pumps generally include an internal timer, a power source (e.g., battery or A/C power from an outlet), a processor, and an input device (such as a keyboard, a touchscreen, an input button, a data port, etc.). A user may program the pump with a material addition schedule by which the pump periodically or regularly adds chemical or biological material to the septic or sewage system. One example of such a pumping system is the United 757 NEEM-BAC Gelled Drain Treatment System produced by United Laboratories Inc. The United 757 NEEM-BAC system injects several bacterial strains and Neem oil in a gelled formulation that provides the bacteria sufficient surface contact time to implant into build-up found in drains. The bacteria work to eliminate the build-up by degrading organic solids, proteins, starch, cellulose and grease.
Known pumps or pumping devices are usually permanently mounted to a wall or other structure in a conventional way, such as by using fasteners, wall anchors, etc. An input of the pump is then connected to a source of chemical or biological material and an output of the pump is connected to a drain, sump, or pipe in a septic or sewage system. Because the pump is permanently mounted in a specific location, the source of chemical or biological material must be located in proximity to the pump. Known sources of chemical or biological material are usually stored in bulk containers, such as deltangular containers, which come in many sizes, for example six gallon sizes.
Permanently mounted pumps are not easy to relocate. The permanently mounted pump must first be removed from the wall or other support. Next, new holes must be drilled in the new location. Additional mounting hardware may also be required.
Recently, pumps have been mounted directly to the bulk containers of the chemical or biological material to save space. Pumps mounted to the bulk container often result in a pump/container configuration that is large or awkwardly shaped. In other words, the container mounted pumps often do not fit well into locations near drains or sumps, which are often spatially limited.


A wireless network configuration method and system for a smart appliance, wherein the smart appliance can start a client mode and an AP mode to connect with a wireless network AP and a portable electronic device separately. When the smart appliance established the connection with the wireless network AP, it will switch from the AP mode to a hidden SSID mode automatically. If an SSID and password of the access point have been stored in the portable electronic device, the portable electronic device will transmit these data to the smart appliance to simplify the operation for wireless network configuration. Besides, the smart appliance will keep connecting with the portable electronic device and disappearing in an available wireless network list of the portable electronic device in the hidden SSID mode. The advantages of this invention are full function and ease of operation.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to smart appliances capable of wireless network connection, and more particularly, to a configuration method and system for using a portable electronic product to configure the smart appliances for connection with a wireless network, thereby having advantages, such as ease of use and quick configuration.
2. Description of Related Art
Due to a surge of networking applications, electrical appliances used at home, such as air conditioners, refrigerators, and shower heaters, are increasingly capable of network connection which can be coupled with cloud computing to turn the home appliances into smart appliances easy to operate and potential to energy saving. Hence, there is presently a fast-growing market of smart appliances.
In general, home appliances are equipped mostly with a small-sized display unit or do not even have one. Alternatively, home appliances are installed at a place where users find it difficult o operate the home appliances by hand. As a result, it is inconvenient for the users to perform complicated network configuration of smart appliances. In view of the drawback of the prior art, US2013/0039352 discloses a wireless network configuration method for use with smart appliances, wherein, before it has been connected to a wireless network, an Internet-accessible device is configured to operate in an access point mode (AP mode, or infrastructure mode) so as for a portable electronic device to connect, by a point-to-point connection, to the Internet-accessible device to be configured, such that a user can control wireless network configuration operation carried out with the Internet-accessible device, using a display unit and an operation interface of the portable electronic device.
However, the network configuration operation requires the user to manually key in a service set identifier (SSID) of an intended wireless network and thereby results in inconvenience of operating. Furthermore, after finishing the configuration operation and thus connecting the Internet-accessible device to the wireless network, the user can switch the Internet-accessible device to a client mode in which the portable electronic device is prevented from searching for the Internet-accessible device by scanning existing wireless networks so as to preclude overly complicated visual presentation on the display unit of the portable electronic device. However, doing so comes with a disadvantage, i.e., it is unable to connect the portable electronic device to the Internet-accessible device directly; instead, the portable electronic device is connected to the Internet-accessible device via a wireless network, thereby bringing inconvenience in remote control operation.
In the situation where a user has many smart appliances (ie, the Internet-accessible device) each connected to a household wireless network, if the SSID of the household wireless network is changed by the user or the connection to the household wireless network is interrupted, the smart appliances will switch to the AP mode, and in consequence the user will have to perform wireless network configuration of the smart appliances one by one from the portable electronic device and will cause much more inconveniently.

Wireless network configuration method and system for smart appliance

UNIVERSAL SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIAL (SHANGHAI) CO., LTD.

UNIVERSAL GLOBAL SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.


A new rainwater saver system using the principle of water following a line of least resistance, the rainwater saver system being for collecting water and redistributing it for various purposes. The rainwater saver system includes a housing having a lower and upper exit tube. The lower exit tube is connected to a hose leading to a storage container. The upper tube is connected to a regular drainage system for draining water when the storage container is filled.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to water conservation systems and more particularly pertains to a new rainwater saver system for collecting rain water and redistributing it for various purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of water conservation systems is known in the prior art. More specifically, water conservation systems heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art water conservation systems include U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,286; U.S. Pat. No. 4,934,404; U.S. Pat. No. 326,705; U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,927; U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,977 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,589,798.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new rainwater saver system. The inventive device includes an inlet means, a first outlet means, a housing, a hose and a receptacle for holding the water.
In these respects, the rainwater saver system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of collecting rain water and redistributing it to be used for various purposes.


In the blood-sampling-tube preparation device according to the present invention, the each blood-sampling-tube containing section is provided with a number of compartments along a periphery thereof, in which the blood-sampling-tubes are contained one by one in a laying state, and an opening portion at a lower portion thereof for discharging the blood-sampling-tube from the each compartment, the compartments in each of the blood-sampling-tube containing section are intended to be moved in a peripheral direction thereof so that the blood-sampling-tube contained in the compartment aligned with the opening portion falls through the opening portion by moving the compartments at a suitable distance along the peripheral direction, and the blood-sampling-tube transferring means is arranged under the opening portions of the blood-sampling-tube containing sections for receiving the blood-sampling-tube felt from the each blood-sampling-tube containing section. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide a complicated mechanism for taking out the blood-sampling-tube from the blood-sampling-tube containing section. And therefore, the blood-sampling-tube preparation device can be structurally simplified and miniaturized (FIG. 2).

In the operation of testing a blood sample, the sample of one patient is typically examined for a number of test items. Therefore, in the hospital, the kinds of the blood-sampling-tubes are changed depending on the test items, and a worker writes the full names of the patients or the like on labels and pastes each of the labels on the blood-sampling-tubes in order to identify the test items and the patient name corresponding to the blood-sampling-tube at the blood test.
However, above-mentioned works such that a worker writes the name of the patient on the label and pastes the label on the each of the blood-sampling-tubes are very complicated. In addition, if a human carries out the works, a serious mistake that the label is pasted on the unintended blood-sampling tube or the like may occur.
In order to the above problems, the inventor of the present invention previously invented a blood-sampling-tube preparation device (Japanese Patent No. 2834595). In this device, at least two kinds of blood-sampling-tubes are contained within tube containing sections according to the kinds of the blood-sampling tubes, respectively. And one or more blood-sampling-tubes are selected and taken out from the corresponding tube containing section. And information data related to the patient corresponding to the blood-sampling-tube(s) taken out from the tube containing sections are printed on one or more labels. And then each of the labels is pasted on the blood-sampling-tube(s). And finally, one or more label pasted tubes for every patient are collected into a tube collection means.
After the inventor invented the above-mentioned device, the inventor and the third parties in various ways had improved the blood-sampling-tube preparation device. And improved devices had been proposed.
Most of conventional blood-sampling-tube preparation devices have the blood-sampling-tube requires sections for containing the blood-sampling-tubes on which the label is not pasted according to the blood test items. And in the blood-sampling-tube containing sections, the number of the blood-sampling-tubes are directly accumulated in the laying state. And the blood-sampling-tubes required for the blood tests are taken out one by one from a lump of the blood-sampling-tubes accumulated directly.
However, it is very difficult to take out the blood-sampling-tubes one by one from the lump of the blood-sampling-tubes accumulated directly. Because of this reason, the conventional device comprises a complicated mechanism for only taking out the blood-sampling-tube from the blood-sampling-tube containing section. And by reason of said complicated mechanism, the size of the device becomes big. In addition, by reason of said complicated mechanism, the production of the blood-sampling-tube preparation device becomes complicated, so that a price of the device had increased. Further, there is a disadvantage that the complicated mechanism causes any breakdown of the device.

Blood-collection tube preparation device


A compact and lightweight two-dimensional image pickup apparatus comprises two-dimensional photoelectric converters arranged on a substrate, a base member for supporting the substrate, electronic parts for processing the electric signals of said photoelectric converters and an apparatus cabinet containing the above components, wherein said base member is formed by a metal-based printed circuit board and said electronic parts are mounted on said base member or, alternatively, said base member and part or all of said apparatus cabinet are formed by a metal-based printed circuit board and said electronic parts are mounted on said printed circuit board.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a two-dimensional image pickup apparatus and, more particularly, it relates to a two-dimensional image pickup apparatus adapted to read information originating from radiation such as radiation of X-rays.
2. Related Background Art
FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings schematically illustrates a known image pickup apparatus adapted to X-ray photography and comprising a fluorescent member (e.g. scintillator) 1 operating as wavelength converter for converting X-rays 101 into rays within the sensible wavelength range of photoelectric converters 2a such as those of visible light, photoelectric converters 2a for converting the visible light into electric signals, a substrate 2b carrying the photoelectric converters 2a thereon, a base member 7 supporting the substrate 2b thereon, circuit boards 5a, 5b for processing electric signals produced by photoelectric conversion, wires connected to the circuit boards and an apparatus cabinet 8a containing the above components.
The substrate 2b arranged under the photoelectric converters 2a is typically made of glass because it is required to be free from chemical reactions with the semiconductor devices (such as the photoelectric converters) of the apparatus, resist the high temperature of the semiconductor forming process and maintain dimensional stability. The fluorescent member 1 is prepared by applying a fluorescent material of a metal compound to a resin plate and held in close contact with the substrate 2b. When the photoelectric converters 2a are required to be moisture-impermeable, the fluorescent member 1 and the photoelectric converters 2a may be hermetically sealed by a moisture-impermeable and X-ray transmissive film 6.
Typically a printed circuit board made of glass epoxy is used for the circuit board 5b on which electronic parts 5c are mounted, to meet the requirement of being easily available and hardly inflammable. These and other components are secured to the base member 7 by way of spacers 3a an 3b and then to the apparatus cabinet and hermetically closed by means of an X-ray transmissive closure 8b.
In FIG. 1, reference symbol 3a denotes spacers arranged between the substrate 2b supporting the photoelectric converters and the base member 7 and reference symbol 3b denotes spacers arranged between the circuit board 5b and the base member 7, whereas reference symbol 5a denotes a flexible circuit board.
Such an image pickup apparatus is conventionally used for X-ray photography as a stationary apparatus. In recent years, there is an increasing demand for a lightweight, compact and portable image pickup apparatus adapted to rapid image pickup operations for producing fine images. However, with an apparatus having such a configuration, the heat generated by the electronic parts 5c is confined within the apparatus cabinet 8a to raise the internal temperature. Then, the temperature rise can by turn increase the internal noise and reduce the S/N ratio of the apparatus.
The use of a cooling system comprising one or more cooling fans (not shown) arranged in the apparatus cabinet 8a has been contemplated to sufficiently prevent such temperature rise from occuring in the inside. However, such an additional system can significantly increase the size and weight of the image pickup apparatus particularly because it requires pillars and a power source for driving the system.
In view of the above described circumstances, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a small, down-sized image pickup apparatus that is free from the above identified problems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a two-dimensional image pickup apparatus adapted to stably reading information without significantly increasing the internal noise and reducing the S/N ratio if heat is generated by the electronic parts during the operation of the apparatus.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an image pickup apparatus adapted to obtaining transmitted X-ray images for diagnosis and analysis.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a low cost cassette-type image pickup apparatus that is small and lightweight and can be carried with ease.
According to an aspect of the invention, the above objects of the invention are achieved by providing a two-dimensional image pickup apparatus comprising two-dimensional photoelectric converters arranged on a substrate, a base member for supporting the substrate, electronic parts for processing the electric signals of said photoelectric converters and an apparatus cabinet containing the above components, said base member being formed by a metal-based printed circuit board, said electronic parts being mounted on said base member.
According to another aspect of the invention, in an image pickup apparatus according to the invention, said base member and part or all of said apparatus cabinet are formed by a metal-based printed circuit board and said electronic parts are mounted on said printed circuit board.


There is provided a communication system including a base station and a terminal which communicates with the base station through a plurality of communication methods. The base station is configured to predict a position of the terminal; select a communication method optimal for the terminal based on the predicted position; and notify the terminal of the selected communication method. The terminal is configured to measure the position of the terminal by prediction which is similar to the position prediction by the base station; and select the communication method notified from the base station in the case of which a difference between a result of the position prediction and a result of the measurement is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

This invention relates to a communication system in a system which includes a plurality of communication methods, and more particularly, to a system for selecting a communication method.
In cellular communication, a terminal generally has a sleep mechanism for suppressing power supply consumption by keeping, when not engaged in communication, only minimum necessary functions active while supplying no power supply to the other portions. In a sleep status, the cellular terminal starts a receiver only at a timing when a cellular base station periodically transmits information called paging to check presence of communication.
One of the methods for setting a wireless system usable by the conventional terminal is a method of detecting electric waves emitted from the base station. According to this method, frequencies possibly used by the base station are sequentially searched to detect communicable frequencies, thereby setting a base station to which communication is performed.
A technology of setting a base station based on a positioning result of a terminal position (e.g., JP 2005-80071 A) is available. FIG. 16 illustrates an operation of this technology. According to this technology, upon generation of a communication request 935, whether a terminal is located in a wireless LAN area is searched for from a map recording the wireless LAN area which has been held in the terminal based on a positioning result of a GPS receiver (936). If the terminal is located in the wireless LAN area, communication is tried through a wireless LAN.
A technology of notifying information regarding an area where a wireless LAN can be used from a base station, and trying use of the wireless LAN if a terminal is in the area (e.g., JP 2007-49645 A) is available. FIG. 17 illustrates an operation of this technology. According to this technology, the base station notifies information on whether a wireless LAN access point is present in each area (937). The terminal obtains information on an area where the terminal is present from the notified information, and conducts hand over to the wireless LAN if the wireless LAN can be used (939). Thereafter, in this area, communication is carried out by using the wireless LAN (938).

Communication system for selecting communication method


A control box for selectively delivering orders to receivers (8, 12). The control box comprises a shaft (14) mounted to turn about an axis of rotation (X), while being capable of sliding along the axis (X) between a rest position towards which it is urged by return means (24), and an active position. An order delivery apparatus (16, 11) co-operates with the shaft (14) to deliver orders as a function of the angular position of the shaft (14). A rotary drive (15) causes the shaft to turn. A safety actuator (23) causes the shaft to slide from the rest position in which anti-rotation structure (27, 28) prevents the shaft from turning to the active position in which the anti-rotation structure (27, 28) leave the shaft free to turn under drive from the rotary drive (15).

Most modern aircraft have retractable landing gear, wheel wells for receiving the landing gear while the aircraft is in flight, and hatches for closing the wheel wells. The hatches are opened and closed with the help of hatch operating actuators, e.g. hydraulic actuators.
When the hatch reaches the closed position, it is automatically locked in this position by hooking means, e.g. a hooking box having a hook hinged thereto that holds captive a roller fastened to the hatch. The hook is unhooked with the help of an actuator, usually a hydromechanical or an electromechanical actuator. Often the hooking box includes an emergency actuator capable of unlocking the hook in the event of it not being possible to use the main actuator.
In flight, the unhooking of the hook and the opening and closing of the hatch are controlled during sequences for extending and retracting the landing gear. It should be observed that the hatches are reclosed and hooked once the landing gear has been deployed.
When the aircraft is on the ground, it is necessary to be able to open the hatches, in particular in order to access equipment situated on the top portion of an undercarriage or in the wheel well. For this purpose, most aircraft include mechanical control means that are operable by personnel on the ground and making it possible to deactivate the hooking means in order to release the hatches.
These mechanical control means generally include a handle connected to the hooking box by a linkage, together with safety means for ensuring that the handle is not operated in untimely manner.
Those mechanical control means are particularly heavy, bulky, and therefore expensive for the aircraft manufacturer.


An FBG system with lower power supplied to a temperature controller, while allowing for precise temperature control of an FBG grating. The FBG system includes a high temperature FBG-mounting structure and a low temperature FBG-mounting structure, and a housing containing them. The high temperature FBG-mounting structure includes an FBG module and a thermo module. The temperature of the FBG in the FBG module may be made higher than the environmental temperature by supplying heat from a heat-conducting portion to the thermo module. The low temperature FBG-mounting structure includes an FBG module and a thermo module. The temperature of the FBG in the latter FBG module may be made lower than the environmental temperature by supplying heat from the latter thermo module to the heat-conducting portion. The FBG-mounting structures are provided in parallel on the inner bottom surface of the heat-conducting portion, part of the housing.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) system, for use in an encoder or a decoder in an optical code division multiplex transmission system, and particularly to an FBG system that may control the Bragg reflection wavelength.
2. Description of the Background Art
The recent spread of the Internet or the like has rapidly increased communication demand. Accordingly, a high speed and large capacity network using an optical fiber or the like has started to be built. One communication means that has gained attention for constructing a high speed and large capacity optical network is an optical code division multiplex (OCDM) transmission.
In the OCDM transmission, plural channels of optical pulse signals are generated by optically modulating an optical pulse train to thereby convert electrical pulse signals into optical pulse signals and encoded with codes different from channel to channel, and the plural channels of optical pulse signals are decoded by a decoder on the receiver side into the original optical pulse signals with the same codes as used in the encoding on the transmitter side. Light for conveying optical pulse signals may sometimes be referred to as an optical carrier.
The OCDM transmission may convey optical pulse signals on a large number of channels simultaneously on the same wavelength. The OCDM transmission system uses one and the same code between the transmitter and receiver sides as a key, as which referred to may be a code that is set in the encoder and decoder, thus being higher in security for transmission as is one of the features.
One of the known encoding measures in OCDM is, for example, a phase coding OCDM, which uses an optical phase as a code. Specifically, the encoder and decoder use the super structured fiber Bragg grating (SSFBG). Another one of the known encoding measures in the OCDM system, in addition to one using the phase coding, includes a system using a wavelength hopping code. For any of the above encoding measures, a change in the Bragg reflection wavelength of the SSFBG system used in an encoder and a decoder caused by fluctuation in ambient temperature surrounding the SSFBG grating or the like has to be prevented, as will be described below.
The OCDM transmission uses, for any of the above encoding schemes, one and the same code as a key on the transmission and receiver sides. In the following discussion, for simplicity, the SSFBG may sometimes be abbreviated only as FBG.
For a better understanding of the present invention, a reference will now be made to schematic block diagrams of FIGS. 1 and 2 to describe the configuration of a general OCDM transmission system and an FBG grating for use in an encoder and a decoder in the OCDM transmission system. FIG. 1 schematically shows the configuration of an OCDM transmission system. FIG. 2 shows an FBG made of a 15-bit code where fifteen unit FBGs are arranged in the order of "ABCDEFGHIKLMNOP." The FBG shown in FIG. 2 includes an optical fiber 6 that includes an SSFBG forming section 8 having the fifteen unit FBGs arranged serially in its waveguide direction.
The OCDM transmission system includes a transmitter section 10 and a receiver section 40, which are interconnected by a transmission line 42. Signals transmitted by the OCDM transmission system are of optical pulses. Optical pulse signals are binary digital signals that carry information to be transmitted. The optical pulse signals may, for example, be generated in the form of return-to-zero (RZ) type of optical pulse signals.
The transmitter section 10 includes an optical pulse train generator 12, a signal generator 14, an optical modulator 16, a first optical circulator 18, and an encoder 60. The optical pulse train generator 12 generates an optical pulse train 13. The signal generator 14 supplies the optical modulator 16 with information to be transmitted in the form of binary digital electrical pulse signal 15.
The optical modulator 16 outputs an optical pulse signal 17 to be transmitted, which is then input via the first optical circulator 18 to the encoder 60. The encoder 60 produces and sends an encoded optical pulse signal via the first optical circulator 18 in the form of optical pulse signal 19 to the transmission line 42, the optical pulse signal being in turn sent over the transmission line 42 to the receiver section 40.
The receiver section 40 includes a second optical circulator 22, a decoder 62, an optical coupler 26, an optoelectrical converter 28, a wavelength monitor 30, and a wavelength controller 32. The optoelectrical converter 28 converts an optical pulse signal 27 into a corresponding electrical pulse signal 36. The wavelength monitor 30 measures the degree of autocorrelation, or the amplitude of eye opening, of an optical pulse signal 29. The wavelength controller 32 receives an output 31 from the wavelength monitor 30 and supplies a control signal 67 to a temperature controller 68. The temperature controller 68, when received the control signal 67, is responsive to the control signal 67 to control, via a cable 69, the current of a thermo module 66 so as to regulate, i.e. increase or decrease, the FBG temperature.
The transmission line 42 conveys an optical pulse signal 21, which is in turn input via the second optical circulator 22 to the decoder 62 where the optical pulse signal 21 is decoded. The decoded optical pulse signal is sent back to the second optical circulator 22 and further to the optical coupler 26 where the optical pulse signal is split into optical pulse signals 27 and 29. The one optical pulse signal 27 is restored by the optoelectrical converter 28 into the corresponding electrical pulse signal 36. In this way, the binary digital electrical pulse signal 15 that carries information to be transmitted is received and restored by the receiver section 40 to the binary digital electrical pulse signal 36.
The decoder 62 has a temperature sensor 64 thereon that regularly measures the temperature of the FBG included in the decoder 62 and sends a measurement to the temperature controller 68 in the form of temperature signal 65. The wavelength controller 32 is responsive to the output 31 from the wavelength monitor 30 to calculate a temperature value to be set for the FBG. To achieve the calculated temperature, the temperature control signal 67 is supplied to the temperature controller 68.
Between the encoder 60 and the decoder 62, the FBGs are the same as each other in effective refractive index periodic structure but opposite to each other in periodic structure. Specifically, when the FBGs included in the encoder 60 and the decoder 62 have, as shown in FIG. 2, the fifteen unit FBGs arranged in the order of "ABCDEFGHIKLMNOP," and the FBG included in the encoder 60 has its input/output port set on the side of the unit FBG denoted by "A", the FBG included in the decoder 62 will have its input/output port set on the side of the unit FBG denoted by "P".
The FBGs included in the encoder or decoder have the Bragg reflection wavelength, which may hereafter be referred to as "operating wavelength" and depends on the ambient temperature or the like. Suppose here that some cause such as an ambient temperature change gives rise to a difference in effective refractive index periodic structure of the FBGs between the encoder 60 and the decoder 62, thus providing the different operating wavelengths. Under that circumstance, it is necessary to control the FBG temperature so as to render the effective refractive index periodic structure of the FBG forming the effective refractive index periodic structure of the decoder 62 identical to the effective refractive index periodic structure of the FBG included in the encoder 60.
When installing FBGs in an encoder and a decoder, it is practically difficult to set the operating wavelength identical between the encoder and the decoder.
In order that the operating wavelength is always maintained identical between the FBGs included in an encoder on the transmitter side and an decoder on the receiver side, the operating wavelength of the FBG needs to be adjusted on at least either of the encoder and decoder.
With the phase coding OCDM transmission, when the FBG included in an encoder on the transmitter side has its operating wavelength that differs by several-ten picometer (pm) or more from the operating wavelength of the FBG included in a decoder on the receiver side, the receiver side may not decode successfully. This means that adjustment is always necessary on the wavelength of the FBGs included in the encoder on the transmitter side and the decoder on the receiver side so as to have the Bragg reflection wavelengths differ by less than several-ten picometer.
An FBG system has then been proposed which is so designed that the FBG may have its Bragg reflection wavelength hard to be affected by a change in ambient temperature, for example, by an international publication, WO 97/26572.
The international publication discloses a system that includes a negative thermal expansion substrate and an optical fiber provided on its surface at least two positions spaced apart from each other. The optical fiber includes an FBG. Now, with reference to FIG. 3, a description will be made of the dependency of the operating wavelength on a change in ambient temperature in the FBG system disclosed in the international publication. The x axis indicates the ambient temperature in degree centigrade (° C.) and the y axis the operating wavelength in nanometer (nm) of the FBG system. A straight line denoted by "a" corresponds to the FBG that is not fastened on the negative thermal expansion substrate. Another straight line denoted by "b" corresponds to the FBG that is fastened on the negative thermal expansion substrate and included in the FBG system. The operating wavelength of the FBG system refers to the peak wavelength of the Bragg reflection of the FBG forming the FBG system.
For the ambient temperature changing from 40 degree centigrade below zero to 125 degree centigrade above zero, the line denoted by "a" for an FBG that is not fastened on the negative thermal expansion substrate has its operating wavelength equal to 1563.75 nm at −40 degree centigrade, while 1565.65 nm at +125 degree centigrade, providing a difference of 1.9 nm therebetween. In contrast, the line denoted by "b" for the FBG that is fastened on the negative thermal expansion substrate and included in the FBG system has its operating wavelength variable in a range between 1565.5 nm and 1565.7 nm with a smaller difference equal to 0.2 nm, i.e. 200 pm. Specifically, an FBG fastened on the negative thermal expansion substrate and included in the FBG system may have its operating wavelength controlled with a change limited to 0.2 nm.
When the FBG system is used as an encoder and a decoder in the OCDM system, however, the change of 0.2 nm in operating wavelength due to an ambient temperature variation is too large to make the FBG system available as an encoder and a decoder. In the system disclosed in the international publication, once the FBG-incorporating optical fiber is fastened on an FBG system, the operating wavelength may not be controlled to any value by an external instruction. The OCDM optical communication involves a problem that when a light source for generating optical pulse signals to be sent from a transmitter side has fluctuation in wavelength or the like, it is hard to control the operating wavelength to compensate for the fluctuation.
For the purpose of solving the above problems, an FBG system has been developed which has a function of being responsive to an instruction from an external to control the temperature, when the FBG system for use in an encoder and a decoder has variations in its operating wavelength due to fluctuations in ambient temperature or when the light source for generating optical pulse signals to be sent from the transmitter side fluctuates in wavelength, to convert the operating wavelength to any wavelength with its adjustable range equal to 200 pm or more, and to finely adjust the operating wavelength with an accuracy of 1 pm, as is disclosed by, for example, Japanese patent laid-open publication No. 2005-173246.
The FBG system disclosed by the Japanese '246 publication features a control that causes little variation in operating wavelength even when the ambient temperature varies. It does however face the following problems when the FBG system is fabricated as an encoder and a decoder in the OCDM transmission system.
The OCDM transmission system is generally adapted to allow for one-way transmission, as shown in FIG. 1, from one terminal, transmitter section 10, to another terminal, receiver section 40, as well as both-way transmission. Each terminal thus includes transmitter and receiver sections, so that the encoder and decoder are disposed in close proximity to each other. It would therefore be expected that separate temperature control between the encoder and the decoder consumes more power. Specifically, when the terminal including the encoder and decoder in close proximity encounters an increase or decrease in ambient temperature, the encoder and decoder both experience the same control, and the temperature control in the encoder and decoder interact with each other, thus consuming more power in temperature control of the encoder and decoder.
For example, an abrupt increase in ambient temperature causes the temperature controller to decrease the temperature of the FBGs included in both encoder and decoder. Both encoder and decoder thus release more heat, requiring more power to be supplied to both temperature controllers. The same holds true for an abrupt drop in ambient temperature. Both encoder and decoder need to be supplied with power, thus also requiring more power to be supplied to both temperature controllers.
As described above, when the encoder and decoder are provided in close proximity to each other and thus release more heat, the heat releasing or absorbing sections of the encoder and decoder are in close proximity accordingly, hence causing a larger temperature increase of the heat releasing or absorbing sections than when they are disposed alone. Accordingly, the temperature controllers for the encoder and decoder may bear more burden. That is also the case with an abrupt drop in ambient temperature.

Fiber Bragg grating system having a thermo module for supplying or absorbing heat to or from an FBG module


In a combined liquid natural gas and compressed natural gas fueling station, liquid natural gas is stored in a cryogenic tank and dispensed to vehicles on demand. Compressed natural gas is produced on demand from the liquid natural gas by a high-efficiency pump and vaporizer system and dispensed directly to vehicles or stored for later dispensing. For greater efficiency, the pump and vaporizer system is powered by combustion of natural gas, including gas bled off to relieve pressure from the cryogenic tank.

Interest in the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid natural gas (LNG) as a motor vehicle fuel has increased dramatically in recent years. Whole fleets of government and industry vehicles have successfully been converted to natural gas, and some private individuals have converted their vehicles as well. Congress recently passed an energy bill which would require further increased use of alternative fuels in government and private fleets.
Several factors have influenced this increasing interest in natural gas as a motor vehicle fuel. Natural gas burns cleaner than traditional motor vehicle fuels. Using natural gas in motor vehicles thus lowers vehicle emissions dramatically, reducing the environmental impact of motor vehicles. Engines burning natural gas also remain cleaner longer, which results in less wear on the engine, less degradation of fuel efficiency and emissions cleanliness over time, and less frequent and lower service and repair costs. Also, natural gas is a relatively cheap and plentiful natural resource within the United States.
A limiting factor in the expanding use of natural gas as a motor vehicle fuel has been the availability of natural gas filling stations. Current stations are expensive to construct and operate. The expense and inefficiency of current refueling stations has prevented widespread conversion to natural gas, especially by private individuals. Fleet conversions are more economically viable because of the large number of vehicles that are consistently refueled at one central location. But private individuals often have no access to a natural gas refueling station, or their access is limited to fleet refueling stations that also sell to private customers. These fleet refueling stations are found only in larger metropolitan centers, effectively restricting the range of private users' vehicles. Thus there is a need for a less expensive, more efficient natural gas fueling station so that more such stations can be constructed and operated, better meeting the needs of private individuals as well as fleet owners who would like to convert their vehicles to natural gas.
Natural gas powered vehicles store the natural gas in their tanks as either compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquid natural gas (LNG). Current LNG filling stations dispense LNG from LNG storage tanks which are supplied by LNG tanker trucks. Current CNG filling stations take natural gas from a natural gas pipeline, compress it, and store it in high-pressure storage tanks from which it is dispensed. The compression requires large amounts of equipment and energy, significantly increasing the cost of the station and the CNG it supplies. A second problem is that natural gas from pipelines is only about 80% pure. Purification procedures are not easily able to eliminate the contamination found in natural gas pipelines. Without expensive purification procedures, the natural gas is not pure enough to burn cleanly, and the major benefits of natural gas are lost. With expensive purification procedures, the CNG cannot be priced competitively with other fuels. A third problem is CNG stations using existing technology can only be located in areas serviced by natural gas pipelines.

Liquid natural gas and compressed natural gas total fueling system


Apparatus, method and system network for lead processing are described. More particularly, a web-based client-server system is described where a sales force automation system is used for updating databases and routing tasks based on user activity. In particular, action item form screen images and lead form screen images may be cast as objects and associated with one another. A lead source is identified with a lead, and activity with respect to whether such a lead results in a registration or a quote is tracked. Moreover, whether such registration or quote results in actual revenue generation is tracked as based on an existing opportunity or a new opportunity. Accordingly, lead source effectiveness for generating new business may be determined based on revenue generation.

Sales activity often involves following-up leads. These leads may originate from trade shows, promotions, advertising or business acquaintances and the like. Conventionally, lead inquires are collected through various sources, and then they are sent out for qualification or directly sent for qualification to one or more qualification firms. These qualification firms record and qualify the lead inquiries and e-mail qualified leads to a literature coordinator at a sales office. The literature coordinator distributes the qualified leads to field sales personnel or an appropriate distributor within an applicable territory.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a solution that automates and streamlines distribution of field ready qualified leads and provides a comprehensive campaign management tool that will provide return on investment data.

Method for routing and responding to sales leads between two organizations


The present application describes a chassis for an air passenger seat for an aircraft. According to one exemplary embodiment, the chassis has at least two first lateral parts, and a first and a second spar. The second spar is implemented in the foot region of the air passenger seat and, in addition to its supporting function, ensures baggage is secured. The assumption of additional objects by the chassis construction advantageously allows an air passenger seat to be manufactured with minimum material outlay and therefore weight outlay.

Air passenger seats comprise a frame to which functional components such as seat surfaces, backrests, and armrests are attached. Such air passenger seats may be equipped as folding seats having pivotable seat surfaces and backrests. Typically, additional components for additional tasks, such as mechanisms for folding seats, joints, bearings, baggage supports, and foot supports are mounted on the air passenger seats. The frames of air passenger seats must have a high stability because of the typically high load. It is desirable to use the lightest possible type of construction in this case. Currently, single-spar supports and double-spar supports having horizontal spar offset are used in the construction of chassis for air passenger seats.
The frame constructions currently used for air passenger seats have the disadvantage that they have been designed only according to stabilizing aspects. I.e., they are optimized for supporting seats and backrests, for example. Until now, additional components have had to be provided for tasks such as baggage retention or foot supports. Thus, a greater material requirement and additional weight arises. Furthermore, single-spar constructions have the disadvantage that high torsion forces arise and therefore a large spar profile must be used.

Double-spar chassis for aircraft passenger seat