At least three stacked panels are articulated by means of adjacent members so that they can pivot toward a deployed configuration. A mechanism includes an immobilizer mounted on a first member, cooperating with a second member to lock the two panels in the deployed configuration and constrained to rotate with a lug which can rotate on the first member and is abutted against a surface of a member constrained to rotate with the second member and configured so that, when the deployed configuration is reached, the lug escapes from it and brings the immobilizer into contact with the second member to bring about locking. A first finger of the mechanism, which is constrained to rotate with the lug, cooperates with a second finger of the third panel to hold it stacked until the two panels reach the deployed configuration, at which time rotation of the lug releases the second finger.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to deploying solar generator panels on a spacecraft such as a satellite in orbit around the Earth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The expression xe2x80x9csolar generator panelxe2x80x9d refers to the set of plane structures of a solar generator having optical, thermal or photovoltaic active surfaces, and in particular:
panels supporting an array of identical or different photovoltaic cells converting solar energy into electrical energy,
reflector panels concentrating solar radiation onto the previous panels by means of a coating with appropriate properties, and
panels used for their thermo-optical surface characteristics (heat dissipators).
The panels of a thermal generator can be deployed in highly diverse configurations. Conventionally they form a longitudinal succession, parallel to a direction away from the body of the spacecraft, and around which the generator is adapted to turn to track the Sun. It has been proposed to provide additional lateral panels, over and above the panels previously referred to, to increase the available electrical power. There are also configurations known in the art in which the panels are disposed along a transverse direction, i.e. a direction which is transverse to the aforementioned longitudinal direction of the yoke connecting the generator to the body of the spacecraft, and around which the generator is adapted to turn to track the Sun.
During launch, the generator is folded and its panels are stacked in what is referred to as a stacked or stacking configuration.
Commissioning of the generator, for example when the spacecraft is a satellite and has reached its working orbit, involves unfolding the stack of panels, which is referred to as unstacking.
To go from the stacking configuration to the deployed configuration, in which the solar panels are in substantially the some plane, the panels are articulated two-by-two, either by means of articulations having adjacent members articulated about a pivot axis and each fastened to one of two adjacent panels, or by means of articulations connecting the parallel edges of panels, of the type described in the document FR-A-2 635 077.
The first-mentioned articulations are generally used to connect the panels of the aforementioned longitudinal succession (in-line panels). The articulations described in the document FR-A-2 635 077 are generally used to connect the lateral panels to the in-line panels.
In order to be able to lock the in-line panels in the deployed configuration, the panel articulations are generally provided with a locking mechanism including rotary immobilizing means mounted on a first of the two adjacent members and cooperating with the second of the two adjacent members to lock the corresponding two panels in the deployed configuration of the two panels. The immobilizing means are constrained to rotate with a lug which can rotate on the first of the adjacent members and temporarily locked against rotation by being abutted against a peripheral surface of a member constrained to rotate with the second of the two adjacent members. The peripheral surface has a configuration such that when the corresponding two panels reach the deployed configuration the lug escapes from the peripheral surface and pivots until the immobilizing means come into contact with the second of the two adjacent members in order to lock the two panels in the deployed configuration.
To prevent the panels colliding and being damaged during deployment, which could compromise the remainder of the mission of the spacecraft, a precise sequence of operations must be defined and carried out precisely.
In particular, the side panel or panels must not be released until the corresponding in-line panels have been locked in the deployed configuration, as this could impede the locking of those panels and cause disruptive impacts.
At present the sequence of operations is achieved in particular by synchronized deployment using pulley and cable conjugation systems. The use of cables can however constitute a single failure source, for example if the cables become jammed, with no possibility of redundancy. What is more, synchronized deployment of the various movements may prove difficult to achieve.
Another solution known in the art is to provide an electrical sequence using pyrotechnics devices on the successive panels whose function is to break links holding the panels in the stacking configuration. This solution has the drawback that the firing of such devices is generally a source of pollution affecting the subsequent performance of the panels and a source of sudden vibrations such that the panels and the connections between them must be highly rigid, which makes them heavy. Pyrotechnic mechanisms also require the use of command transmission cables which generate high cable resisting torques. Finally, pyrotechnics devices are generally heavy and bulky.
Consequently, the object of the present invention is to propose a mechanical (and therefore non-polluting) device for sequencing the deployment of one panel relative to other panels, in particular of a side panel relative to in-line panels, that is simple and therefore reliable, compact in size and light in weight, and has no significant resisting torque to that of the articulations linking the panels.
To this invention, the invention proposes an articulated system formed of at least three adjoining panels of a solar generator, articulated two-by-two to be able to pivot from a stacking configuration, in which the panels are stacked, to a deployed configuration, in which the panels are disposed in substantially the same plane, wherein two of the panels are connected together by at least one articulation having two adjacent articulated members each fastened to one of the two panels, a locking mechanism is mounted on the articulation and includes rotary immobilizing means mounted on a first of the two adjacent members and cooperating with the second of the two adjacent members to provide at least one-way non-return locking of the two panels relative to each other in the deployed configuration, the immobilizing means are constrained to rotate with a lug rotatably mounted on the first of the two adjacent members and temporarily locked against rotation by being pressed against a peripheral surface of a member constrained to rotate with the second of the two adjacent members, the peripheral surface has a configuration such that, when the deployed configuration of the two panels is reached, the lug escapes from the peripheral surface and pivots to bring the immobilizing means into contact with the second of the two adjacent members in order to lock the two panels in their mutual deployed configuration, and the locking mechanism further includes a first finger constrained to rotate with the lug and cooperating with a second finger fastened to the third panel to retain the third panel stacked on one of the two panels during movement of the two panels to the mutual deployed configuration, rotation of the lug on reaching the deployed configuration releasing the second finger and thereby enabling the third panel to move to a deployed configuration relative to the two panels after deployment of the first two panels.
A mechanical device having the advantages mentioned above can therefore achieve in-line and side panel deployment kinematics such that a side panel can open only if the two in-line panels are locked in the deployed position.
A system of the above kind could if required be transposed to the deployment of in-line panels relative to each other, for example.
In accordance with preferred, and possibly combined, features of the invention:
the peripheral surface is a cylindrical surface portion of a member adapted to rotate about a pivot of the two adjacent members,
the immobilizing means, the lug and the first finger are rotatable about a pivot substantially parallel to the articulation axis,
the second finger is fixed to a fitting mounted on and projecting from the third panel,
there is a clearance between the two fingers in the stacking configuration.
The present invention also proposes a spacecraft equipped with a solar generator formed of a plurality of panels including a deployment system in accordance with the invention.
The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Articulated set of sequentially opened solar generator panels


The invention provides a method for continuous acquisition, identification, and attack of helicopters operating with concealment, using a missile with an integrated target search head computer control. The visual field of the search head is adapted optimally in both the search phase and in the target tracking phase. During the search phase, the missile travels a flight path roughly parallel to the surface of the ground, and the axis of the line of sight is directed diagonally downward at a suitable angle. During a target tracking, the line of sight runs collinearly with the missile axis. The natural radiation of the helicopter modulated by the rotor blade movement is used for target recognition.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for combatting enemy helicopters which operate from a concealed position, emerging briefly and then using cover once again. The system according to the invention can be implemented even following loss of visual contact, using an electro-optical search head specially developed for helicopter-type recognition.
Various devices of this type are known. German Patent Document DE 37 33 681 C1, for example, discloses a device which uses a so-called infrared search head for helicopter detection. The search head consists essentially of an optical receiving arrangement in whose focal plane infrared-sensitive detector elements are arranged in a rectangular matrix. Each detector element can be read individually and the resultant signal investigated as to amplitude and frequency pattern.
The observation axis of the search head is directed vertically downward, since it is assumed that enemy helicopters move near the ground using the shelter of the terrain. The search head is designed so that it can reliably detect helicopters by reason of its visual field design and its height above the ground, based on their natural radiation, characteristically modulated by rotor blade movement, in a defined search area.
The design of the search head for the vertical observation direction limits considerably the operational performance of a defensive missile equipped with such a sensor, especially when the latter must be "shoulder fireable." Criteria for shoulder fireability are low weight (typically 12 kg), simple handling, high reliability, and a favorable cost-benefit ratio.
This sensor, which is directed vertically downward, can be used as follows in conjunction with a missile. When the observing shooter detects an enemy helicopter, he estimates the distance to the target and enters it into the missile launcher. Since the visual field of the sensor is limited, the success of the combat measure is critically dependent on the reliability of this estimate. In addition, assurance must be provided that the search areas established by the estimated values overlap. The missile is launched and, depending on the range and the predetermined visual field of the sensor, follows a preset flight path to a typical altitude of 800-1200 meters, where it is braked by a drogue chute. After the braking process is complete, the lengthwise axis of the missile is oriented vertically so that the target search head begins looking downward, and the search phase begins. The speed of fall must be adjusted by the chute to the performance of the signal evaluation method. When the target is acquired, the chute is released. The remaining part of the missile, containing the warhead, must now be accelerated from a slow falling speed so that the target itself can be reliably attacked at maximum flight speed.
The disadvantages of the above known device regarding efficiency of a weapon system are apparent:
False range estimates result in a miss, which can only be avoided by providing an additional laser rangefinder; PA1 The search phase takes place at low missile speed. During this time, the target can travel an additional distance, and overcoming this problem imposes increased demands on the target tracking speed of the missile; PA1 The unfavorable energy balance of the fuel consumption, which is increased by additional braking and accelerating maneuvers, results in an increase in weight and an unfavorable cost-benefit ratio; PA1 The chute increases both the complexity of the missile, (and hence its failure rate) and its manufacturing costs; and PA1 Without additional measures for electronic or mechanical image stabilization in the search head, the oscillating movements of the missile while suspended from the chute during the search phase cannot be compensated, so that the frequency of the helicopter radiation cannot really be detected at all, as stated in DE 37 33 681 C1.
An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and effective method and apparatus for reliably recognizing and attacking helicopters operating with concealment; in other words, without a visual link between the shooter and the target, without range measurement, and with a low missile weight. It is also important that the search for the target can take place when the flight profile is in a plane parallel to, or at a small angle of inclination to, the ground.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the missile guidance and tracking system according to the present invention in which the target search head of the missile is equipped with an optical lens system with two wedge shaped elements, at least one of which can be rotated relative to the other in order to adjust a line of sight axis of an optical image field thereof. After the missile is launched and rises to a predetermined altitude, it is then guided along an essentially horizontal flight path during a search phase in which the first and second wedge shaped optical elements are adjusted relative to each other in such a manner that the axis of the image field is directed downward toward the terrain passing beneath the missile. When the target helicopter is detected in the image field of the target search head, the missile enters a tracking phase in which it is guided downward to impact the target. For this purpose, the wedge shaped elements are rotated relative to one another to a position in which the image field of the target search head is directed along a longitudinal axis of the missile, and is aligned with the flight path. Information from the target search head is then used to guide the missile to target impact.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Method and apparatus for combatting helicopters operating with concealment


Antibody drug conjugates (ADC's) comprising a drug conjugated to antibody or antigen binding fragments thereof that bind to Globo series antigen disclosed herein, as well as methods of use thereof. Methods of use include, without limitation, cancer therapies and diagnostics. The antibodies of the disclosure can bind to certain cancer cell surfaces. Exemplary targets of the antibodies disclosed herein can include carcinomas, such as sarcoma, skin cancer, leukemia, lymphoma, brain cancer, glioblastoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, oral cancer, head-and-neck cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, esophagus cancer, stomach cancer, liver cancer, bile duct cancer, gallbladder cancer, bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, intestinal cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, cervix cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, testical cancer, buccal cancer, oropharyngeal cancer, laryngeal cancer and prostate cancer.

Numerous surface carbohydrates are expressed in malignant tumor cells. For example, the carbohydrate antigen Globo H (Fuc α 1→2 Gal β 1→3 GalNAc β1→3 Gal α 1→4 Gal β 1→4 Glc) was first isolated as a ceramide-linked Glycolipid and identified in 1984 from breast cancer MCF-7 cells. (Bremer E G, et al. (1984) J Biol Chem 259:14773-14777). Previous studies have also shown that Globo H and stage-specific embryonic antigen 3 (Gal β1→3GalNAc β 1→3Gal α 1→4Gal β 1→4Glc β 1) (SSEA-3, also called Gb5) were observed on breast cancer cells and breast cancer stem cells (WW Chang et al. (2008) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 105(33): 11667-11672). In addition, SSEA-4 (stage-specific embryonic antigen-4) (Neu5Ac α 2→3Gal β 1→3GalNAc β 1→3Gal α 1→4Gal β 1→4Glc β 1) has been commonly used as a cell surface marker for pluripotent human embryonic stem cells and has been used to isolate mesenchymal stem cells and enrich neural progenitor cells (Kannagi R et al. (1983) EMBO J, 2:2355-2361). These findings support that Globo series antigens (Globo H, SSEA-3 and SSEA-4) are unique targets for cancer therapies and can be used to direct therapeutic agents to targeting cancer cells effectively. It is of great interest to identify glycan markers associated with and/or predictive of cancers, and develop antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) against the markers for use in diagnosing and treating a broad spectrum of cancers. Globo series antigens can be designed as an ADC by combining its specific antibodies with therapeutic agents through different linkers.
The use of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the local delivery of cytotoxic or cytostatic agents, e.g., drugs to kill or inhibit tumor cells in the treatment of cancer (Syrigos and Epenetos (1999) Anticancer Research 19:605-614; Niculescu-Duvaz and Springer (1997) Adv. Drg. Del. Rev. 26:151-172; U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,278) theoretically allows targeted delivery of the drug moiety to tumors, and intracellular accumulation therein, while systemic administration of these unconjugated drug agents may result in unacceptable levels of toxicity to normal cells as well as the tumor cells sought to be eliminated (Baldwin et al., 1986, Lancet pp. (Mar. 15, 1986):603-05; Thorpe, 1985, "Antibody Carriers Of Cytotoxic Agents In Cancer Therapy: A Review," in Monoclonal Antibodies '84: Biological And Clinical Applications, A. Pinchera et al. (ed.s), pp. 475-506). Maximal efficacy with minimal toxicity is sought thereby. Both polyclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibodies have been reported as useful in these strategies (Rowland et al., 1986, Cancer Immunol. Immunother. 21:183-87). Drugs used in these methods include daunomycin, doxorubicin, methotrexate, and vindesine (Rowland et al., 1986, supra). Some cytotoxic drugs tend to be inactive or less active when conjugated to large antibodies or protein receptor ligands.
The auristatin peptides, auristain E (AE) and monomethylauristatin (MMAE), synthetic analogs of dolastatin, were conjugated to: (i) chimeric monoclonal antibodies cBR96 (specific to Lewis Y on carcinomas); (ii) cAC10 which is specific to CD30 on hematological malignancies (Klussman, et al. (2004), Bioconjugate Chemistry 15(4):765-773; Doronina et al. (2003) Nature Biotechnology 21(7):778-784; "Monomethylvaline Compounds Capable of Conjugation to Ligands"; Francisco et al. (2003) Blood 102(4):1458-1465; U.S. Publication 2004/0018194; (iii) anti-CD20 antibodies such as RITUXAN® (WO 04/032828) for the treatment of CD20-expressing cancers and immune disorders; (iv) anti-EphB2 antibodies 2H9 and anti-IL-8 for treatment of colorectal cancer (Mao, et al. (2004) Cancer Research 64(3):781-788); (v) E-selectin antibody (Bhaskar et al. (2003) Cancer Res. 63:6387-6394); and (vi) other anti-CD30 antibodies (WO 03/043583).

Conjugated biological molecules, pharmaceutical compositions and methods


A new and distinct Ipomoea batatas cultivar named ‘IPOSGBRO’ is disclosed, characterized by light green and red palmate shaped foliage, and a bush forming, habit. Additionally the new cultivar flowers under long day conditions and produces many lateral branches, without pinching or chemical growth regulators. The new cultivar is an Ipomoea batatas, typically suited for ornamental container and garden use.

The new variety originated from a commercial breeding program under the direction of the inventor, Paul A. Talmadge. The crossing resulting in the new cultivar was made in Fall of 2007, with the seed parent, an unpatented, unnamed proprietary seedling and the pollen parent, also an unpatented, unnamed proprietary seedling. The new variety was discovered by the inventor in April of 2008 at a commercial greenhouse in Lompoc, Calif.
After selecting and isolating the new cultivar, asexual reproduction of the new cultivar 'IPOSGBRO' was first performed in a commercial research greenhouse in Lompoc, Calif. during June of 2008. 'IPOSGBRO' has since produced several generations and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type. Asexual reproduction of the new variety is by vegetative cuttings.


A translation memory adapted to sentence-based translation includes a first retrieval dictionary of a first language having a first dictionary TRIE structure and a first index TRIE structure, and a second retrieval dictionary of a second language having a second dictionary TRIE structure and a second index TRIE structure. The first and second dictionary TRIE structures respectively store sub character strings on respective paths from roots to multiple nodes thereof. The first and second index TRIE structure respectively store index information to specify the sub character strings stored in the first and second dictionary TRIE structures. The index information stored in the first retrieval dictionary includes identification information that identifies the index information to specify the sub character strings in the second retrieval dictionary that are translations of those in the first retrieval dictionary.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to multilingual translation apparatuses that translate a sentence, character strings, or sentences in an original language into those in a target language, and more particularly, to a technique for a translation memory that utilizes a TRIE structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
The machine translation techniques that translate the original language into the target language include the straight word-for-word direct translation technique, the analysis based translation technique and interlingua method, the statistics-based translation technique, the example sentence based translation technique, and the like.
On the straight word-for-word direct translation technique, the respective words that compose a sentence in the original language is directly translated into words in the target language, and the translated text is made in the target language according to the statistical data or predetermined rules.
On the analysis based translation technique and interlingua method, morphological analysis, syntactic analysis, and semantic analysis are implemented on the sentence in the original language to convert into the semantics, the syntax, the morpheme in the target language, and the translation sentence is composed in the target language. On the interlingua method, the sentence in the original language is analyzed and converted into the interlanguage, and the translated sentence is made in the target language with the converted interlanguage.
On the statistics-based translation technique, the original language is translated into the target language with the language model and the translation model. On the example sentence based translation technique, the input sentence in the original language is translated into the sentence in the target language while referring to the knowledge base developed by learning translated example sentences, as the process that the human learns a foreign language.
From among the above-mentioned translation techniques, there are several patent documents that disclose the interlingua method. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-32508 (hereinafter referred to as Document 1), for example, provides an automatic translation system that can translate from one original language into two or more target languages simultaneously with a single interlanguage. This translation system makes it possible to automatically translate the document written in the original language into multiple target languages at high levels of the document analysis that enables a sophisticated understanding of the message, definite expression of the knowledge, and "translation quality/time".
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 62-251875 (hereinafter referred to as Document 2) describes an electronic translation apparatus that extracts the standardized interlanguage on the basis of the information related to the input original language, and generates the information related to the target language to correspond to the extracted standardized interlanguage on the basis of the extracted standardized interlanguage.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-290082 (hereinafter referred to as Document 3) provides a translation pattern for machine translation, with which the user can easily compose and efficiently retrieve. The sentence pattern is stored in a retrieval dictionary having a tree structure, and the input text sentence is checked with the retrieval dictionary. If successful, the corresponding sentence pattern in another language is obtained to make the text sentence in the target language with the corresponding sentence pattern. If not successful, translation is implemented with the language analysis and generation method of the machine translation technique.
Moreover, the techniques of the translation memory include the character index method and the word index method. With the character index method, the translation memory is realized by creating the character indexes for all the characters included in the bilingual corpus of translation pairs. With the word index method, the translation memory is realized by creating the character indexes for all the words included in the bilingual corpus of translation pairs.
It is to be noted that the conventional translation techniques have the following drawbacks. The straight word-for-word direct translation technique can be built in a relatively easy manner, yet at the same time, the translation accuracy cannot be assured. The interlingua method can work with the multilingual machine translation, yet the techniques of the syntactic analysis and semantic analysis are immature and the practical use is very difficult. Besides, a highly advanced language analysis and the generation technique of the interlanguage are indispensable for the interlingua method, and the interlingua method cannot be applied to the translation in many fields, it is difficult to enhance the function thereof, and it is also very difficult to maintain the translation tool.
The technique disclosed in Document 3 utilizes the tree structure to store the sentence patterns therein. If a part pattern is found at the time of checking the sentence pattern, the part pattern is replaced with one variable, enabling to enlarge an expression range of the pattern. However, if the word included in the sentence is not registered in the tree structure as the part pattern, there arises a problem in that the word cannot be associated even if there is a pattern corresponding to the sentence. In the tree structure shown in FIG. 7 of Document 3, the pattern of "improve" is associated in the sentence "improve the contact". However, if "function" of a part pattern in the "improve the function" is not registered, "improve" cannot be associated. Further, even if the part pattern of "function" is registered in a lower tree of the tree structure, the pattern of "improve" cannot be associated. This causes another problem in that a number of sentence patterns are necessary for covering a wide range of expressions.
The translation memory that utilizes the character index method has a difficulty in real-time translation. The translation memory that utilizes the word index method cannot be applied to the multilingual translation system, in addition to the difficulty in real-time translation.

Multilingual translation memory, translation method, and translation program


An image forming member 1 includes an image forming portion 12 for forming an image; a supported portion 10 which is rotatably supported by a bearing 14; and a driven portion 11 which receives a drive force by way of a drive force transmission member. The image forming section 12, the supported portion 10, the driven portion 11 are all made of the same base member having the same diameter. Further, the surface 10' of the supported portion 10 is supported by the bearing 14, and the surface 11' of the driven portion 11 receives the drive force.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as electrophotographic printers, ionographic printers, ink-jet printers, or facsimiles, and more particularly to a drive technique suitable for use with tandem color copiers or color printers which employ a plurality of drum-like image forming members.
2. Description of the Related Art
Like electrophotographic printers, an apparatus which produces an image on recording paper is usually provided with an image forming member. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the image forming member while the image forming member is rotating, and the thus-formed latent image is developed by means of toner to thereby produce a developed image. In order to drive the image forming member in a rotating manner, the image forming apparatus is usually provided with a mechanism to transmit driving force to a drive shaft of the image forming member from a motor via a deceleration mechanism such as a gear or a timing belt so that the image forming member is rotated at a constant speed.
However, as can be seen from a schematic representation of a deceleration mechanism which employs gears shown in FIG. 29, in a case where a drive mechanism for use with the image forming member is constituted by interposing a deceleration gear unit which employs a combination of a plurality of gears 502 and 503 between a drive shaft 1a of the image forming member 1 and a motor 501, there will arise mechanical errors such as an offset "d" or meshing errors. As a result, variations as shown in FIG. 30 arise. Further, variations due to the offset of a pulley arise in the rotation of the rotation transmission mechanism that employs the timing belt. As described above, in the case of the conventional drive mechanism, variations arise in the rotational speed of the image forming member, which in turn pauses a problem for formation of a toner image.
This problem arises in the form of inconsistencies in density of an image for monochrome copiers or printers as well as in the form of imperfect images, such as variations in color or streaks of color, for color copiers or printers. For these reasons, it is desired to reduce variations in the rotational speed to as small an amount as possible, and consequently there has been a demand for a higher degree of accuracy of machining and assembly of the members of the drive mechanism.
However higher the accuracy of the drive mechanism may be improved, variations arise in the rotational speed of the image forming member, if the shaft of the motor or of the image forming member has an offset, or if the image forming member itself has an offset.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei-7-140844 discloses a sensing and controlling method as means for solving the foregoing problem. This method enables sensing and controlling of variations in the rotational speed of each of motors respectively attached to a plurality of image forming members by means of speed sensing means fitted to the drive shaft of each image forming member.
There is another known method in which positional information about image data to be finally output is sensed, and amendments are made to the timing at which an optical signal is output or to the trail of an optical axis. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei-6-79917 discloses a method in which the displacements of toner on a transfer drum are sensed, and address offset data for each scanning line of a write beam is calculated from the result of the sensing operation and is then stored. The address of the write beam is corrected in the primary and secondary scanning directions.
Since the previously-described methods result in an increase in the size of the image forming apparatus or a significant increase in the cost, it is considerably difficult to apply the methods to inexpensive compact image forming apparatuses. Further, the methods suffer their insufficient versatility.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei-7-319254 discloses a method in which an endless flat belt which is single transmission-and-drive means is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of a plurality of image forming members, and a rotational drive force is transmitted to a plurality of photosensitive drums by means of the frictional force developing between the outer peripheral surface of the photosensitive drums and the endless flat belt, whereby the outer peripheral surface of each of the photosensitive drums is actuated to the same extent.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Sho-62-55674 discloses a method intended for actuating each of a plurality of image forming members and a sheet conveyor belt to the same extent. By this method, the image forming members and the sheet conveyor/transfer belt are actuated in association with each other through use of a transmission member driven by a single drive source.
In both the previously-described existing methods disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. Hei-7-319254 and Sho-62-55674, exciting means, such as gears, which cause transmission of vibration are removed from a drive force transmission mechanism. Consequently, they are superior with regard to the reduction in the exciting components developing in the tooth bearings of the gears; and the prevention of variations in the rotation of the gear due to the exciting components and streaks of inconsistencies in color or density in a high frequency range.
As the reduction in the size and cost of the image forming apparatus has been improving in recent years in accordance with market demands, the image forming members and transmission members are also reduced in diameter. Accordingly, the number of rotations of these members is increasing. Further, in accordance with the increase in the number of rotations, variations in the rotation of the image forming member or transmission member due to the offset of the constituent elements are gradually increasing from a low frequency range to a higher frequency range. The pitch of variations-in-color resulting from the variations-in-rotation also becomes smaller, resulting in a tendency for the variations-in-color to become easily visually recognizable. For example, in the case of an existing image forming member having a diameter of 84 mm, if one variation arises in the image forming member every rotation, this variation appears in the form of a variation-in-color with a pitch of 84.times..pi.=264 mm; namely, in the form of a considerably mild variation. If the diameter is as small as 20 mm or 15 mm; particularly, if the diameter is 15 mm, the pitch of the variation-in-color becomes as narrow as 15.times..pi.=47 mm, thereby resulting in the variation-in-color being visually recognizable. Therefore, if consideration is given to the reduction in the size and cost of the image forming apparatus, a solution to variable components due to the offset of the image forming member presents a problem.
Neither the method disclosed in JP-A Laid-open No. Hei-7-319254 or the method disclosed in JP-A Laid-open No. Sho-62-55674 has means for removing the offset of the image forming member due to the positional offset or inclination of the support shaft of the image forming member. Consequently, in the methods disclosed in the foregoing Japanese Patent Applications, even if each image forming member is maintained at a constant rotational speed, the surface velocity of each image forming member at the position where a latent image is formed varies from image forming member to image forming member because of the offset of the image forming member with respect to its rotational center. Resultant color images are displaced from each other by an image transfer section when the image is transferred.
Elements in the variation in speed of the drive force transmission system from the drive source to the surface of the image forming member will be described.
FIG. 31 shows a schematic representation of an existing drive force transmission system.
In a case where the image forming apparatus has the drive force transmission system as shown in FIG. 31, the way the surface velocity V.sub.PR of the image forming member changes will be induced by Formula.
Assuming that a variation in each element is considered to be analogously represented by a sine vibration, and that disc-shaped flanges are attached to the rotational shaft of the image forming member. Further, assuming that a pipe-shaped photosensitive drum having a predetermined thickness t.sub.PR (mm) is fixed in such a way that the outer periphery of the flange comes into contact with the internal peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum.
Hereinafter, the amplitude of variation is A.sub.i, the frequency of variation is f.sub.i, and the phase of variation is .PHI..sub.i (suffix i designates each element).
First, with regard to the variation in a motor, assuming that a mean angular velocity is .omega..sub.m0 rad/sec!, the angular velocity .omega..sub.m of the motor rad/sec! is given by EQU .omega..sub.m =.omega..sub.m0 (1+A.sub.1 sin(2.pi.f.sub.1 t+.PHI..sub.1))(1 )
Assuming that a mean radius of the motor shaft is r.sub.m0 (mm), the radius of the motor shaft r.sub.m (mm) is given by EQU r.sub.m =r.sub.m0 (1+A.sub.2 sin(2.pi.f.sub.2 t+.omega..sub.2))(2)
Consideration will now be given to a deceleration apparatus. Here, assuming the reduction rate of two-stage deceleration of gears.
Reduction rate: r.sub.r is given by EQU r.sub.r =(r.sub.g1 /r.sub.m).times.(r.sub.g3 /r.sub.g2) (3)
Assuming the mean radii of the respective deceleration means are r.sub.g10, r.sub.g20, r.sub.g30 (mm), the radii r.sub.g1, r.sub.g2, r.sub.g3 (mm) are given by EQU r.sub.g1 =r.sub.g10 (1+A.sub.3 sin((2.pi.f.sub.3 t+.PHI..sub.3))(4) EQU r.sub.g2 =r.sub.g20 (1+A.sub.4 sin((2.pi.f.sub.4 t+.PHI..sub.4))(5) EQU r.sub.g3 =r.sub.g30 (1+A.sub.5 sin((2.pi.f.sub.5 t+.PHI..sub.5))(6)
With regard to the image forming member, the radius r.sub.s (mm) of the rotary shaft of the image forming member is given by EQU r.sub.s =r.sub.s0 (1+A.sub.6 sin((2.pi.f.sub.6 t+.PHI..sub.6))(7)
Assuming that the mean distance between the inner shaft of the flange to the outer periphery of the flange is d.sub.f0 (mm), a distance d.sub.f (mm) is given by EQU d.sub.f =d.sub.f0 (1+A.sub.7 sin((2.pi.f.sub.7 t+.PHI..sub.7))(8)
Assuming that the mean thickness of the cylindrical photosensitive drum which constitutes the image forming member is t.sub.PR0 (mm), a thickness t.sub.PR (mm) is given by EQU t.sub.PR =t.sub.PR0 (1+A.sub.8 sin((2.pi.f.sub.8 t+.PHI..sub.8))(9)
Assuming that the sum of the three elements described above is an effective radius, a surface velocity V.sub.PR (mm/sec) of the photosensitive drum is given by ##EQU1##
As represented by Formula (10'), the surface velocity V.sub.PR of the photosensitive material is represented by a dependent function of each constituent element. Each element in Formula (10') includes a variation whose amplitude A.sub.i and phase .PHI..sub.i are arbitrarily given by the Formulae (1) through (9), and hence the final surface velocity V.sub.PR of the image forming member varies to a considerably large extent.
There is a drive method in which a single element is used for the motor and the deceleration mechanism. More specifically, in a case where an image forming apparatus has four image forming members, a drive motor and a deceleration mechanism are commonly used by the four image forming members. If this method is used as means for preventing the previously-described variation in the surface velocity of the image forming member, variations in independent variables: .omega..sub.m, r.sub.m, r.sub.g1, r.sub.g2, and r.sub.g3 are brought in phase with each other with regard to the four image forming members. Accordingly, displacements of color which would be otherwise caused by variations in the variables can be prevented.
However, since the elements r.sub.s, d.sub.f and t.sub.PR have various values in each of an image forming member, they cannot be removed by the foregoing existing drive method.

Drive mechanisms for use with drum-like image forming members and drum-like image forming members driven thereby


A cabinet and hopper combination is set forth for slot machines which includes a cabinet structure having an opening for coins to drop from the machine into the hopper. The hopper is removably mounted in the cabinet and has a door slidable between a closed and an open position. A handle at the outside of the cabinet operates a linkage coupled to the door to open the hopper to dispense coins or tokens therein through the front of the cabinet. Also included are devices to lock the handle against unauthorized dispensing of coins or tokens.

It is known to provide a stand for gaming machines such as slot machines, video poker machines and the like to support the machine at a position convenient for play by a player. Often these machines are placed side by side on one or more stands to define a bank of machines.
In relation to known gaming machines, these machines are adapted to receive wagers in the form of coins or tokens. When the wager of the coin or token is inserted, the coin passes a coin tester which verifies the authenticity of the wager and is directed to a machine hopper contained within the gaming machine housing. When a payout is made by the machine or the player cashes out, coins or tokens are dispensed from the machine hopper.
Because the reservoir defined by the machine hopper is limited due to the size of the machine and the need to include electronic and mechanical components in the housing, it is known to provide a machine hopper overflow bucket in the stand below the machine. When the machine hopper is full, additional wagered tokens or coins are directed through a hole in the bottom of the machine and to the bucket in the stand. From time to time personnel remove the buckets from the stands below the machines for weighing and counting of the coins.
Because the buckets may be heavy, injury to personnel sometimes occurs as a result of the bending, kneeling and pulling necessary to pull the bucket from the stand. It would be useful to devise a system which would not require personnel to bend, stoop, reach and pull to unload hopper overflow. Further in this regard, it would useful to remotely know and monitor when overflow is being removed and to prevent unauthorized unloading of the overflow.

Cabinet and hopper combination for gaming machines


This specification describes methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage device, for determining content item environment types for content items rendered in a web based resource.

This specification relates to information presentation.
Resources that include content can be provided over the Internet to various user devices. Many of these resources include content item environments in which additional content can be displayed. Typically the content of the resource is provided by a publisher, while the content items displayed in the content item environments are provided by third parties. For example, a web page can include slots in which sponsored content items, such as advertisements, can be presented. These slots can be defined in the web page or defined for presentation with a web page, for example, along with search results or other content provided by the publisher.
There are different types of content item environments that can be used to display third-party content items in a resource provided by a publisher. Two such environments are script environments and in-line frame environments, or "iFrame" environments. In script environments, the content of the content item environment slot are also considered to be part of the content of the resource, and thus the content is determined to belong to the domain of publisher that served the resource. In iFrame environments, however, the content of the content item environment slot, if it is determined to belong to the domain of another entity, such as an advertisement server, are not considered to be part of the content of the resource.
The type of content item environment used by a publisher may be of interest to advertisers and/or advertisement management systems that serve such advertisements on behalf of the advertisers. In particular, same-domain environments can programmatically communicate, but such communications are not readily facilitated between cross-domain content item environments. Some serving features for particular advertisements may require access to the content of the resource, and thus serving these particular advertisements in iFrame environments may lead to sup-optimal performance. Likewise, advertisers serving expandable advertisements may desire to run such advertisements only in script environments to minimize non-expansion impression rates.

Content item type determination and selection


There is disclosed a multiple axis load cell or controller in which axial and torsion measurements are decoupled while maximizing the outputs of both measurements. The active member of the load cell is a wheel with dual beams as the spokes. The wheel thus has four spokes or four beam members, each spoke is a pair of rectangular cross-section beams, orthogonal to each other. The beams have strain gages on the wide surfaces which measure the bending strain which is proportional to torsion or the axial input. There is an inner beam section and an outer beam section associated with each spoke and orthogonal to each other. The outer beams have the wide surface normal to the axis of the load cell. This beam section is more sensitive to the axial tension/compression input. The inner beam sections have their wide surface parallel to the axis of the load cell and are much less sensitive to bending but are sensitive to torsion. Therefore when a torsion or twisting motion is applied to the load cell, the inner beams with their wide surface parallel to the axis of the wheel are more sensitive and bend more. These beams experience bending as a result of the torsion input and have strain gages formed in a Wheatstone bridge arrangement to provide an output proportional to the torsion. The outer beams also have gages mounted thereon which are also wired in a Wheatstone bridge configuration and which Wheatstone bridge output of these gages are proportional to the axial force.

Basically a controller is designated as a device which can provide multiple axis outputs, or multiple measurements using load cells. These devices, for example, can be used in fly by wire systems, which require very high reliability, limit and ultimate load, and safety margin. Such fly by wire systems utilize a controller which basically is a multiple axis or multiple measurement load cell, the pilot manipulates the controller by twisting it to the right or the left and moving it up and down. In this manner, a twist to the left would indicate a left turn for the aircraft, a twist to the right would indicate a right turn. The movement up and down, would indicate a pitch or a roll. In any event, such devices are known. These devices are similar to joysticks which basically have an elongated shaft or control rod, which rod or shaft is manipulated in x or y direction and can provide a 360° movement, whereby the sensor produces an output based on the position of the rod. See the above noted co-pending application entitled "Joystick Sensor Apparatus". Joystick sensors have been used for steering controls for helicopters and other aircraft as well as in many other applications. Thus the above noted application entitled "Joystick Sensor Apparatus" is incorporated herein in its entirety.
In any event, this controller employs load cells which are optimized for multiple axis or multiple measurements. The load cell design typically includes maximizing the output of the strain gages while also maximizing the safety factor, especially for flight control load cells. As indicated, flight control load cells are typically used on fly by wire systems, which require very high reliability, limit and ultimate load, and safety margins. In optimizing a load cell for torsion measurement, the axial output on the same beam will be very low. Reversing the design, optimizing for axial tension/compression gage output, results in a much thinner beam, which will fail under torsion conditions. The instrumented devices for an axial-torsion multiple measurement load cell must be decoupled to eliminate this problem. Various schemes for decoupling include two load cells in series. The problem arises, for the design of the axial load cell section, which is typically also exposed to the torsion inputs. The axial section must be designed such that the axial output is adequate, while preventing failure due to torsion.
This has been a serious problem in the prior art as it is desirable to provide a multiple axis load cell in which the axial and torsion measurements are decoupled, while maximizing the output of both measurements and providing adequate robustness and adequate safety margins for the entire structure.


The present invention relates to a dual polarization antenna comprising a reflection plate, and a radiating module including first to fourth radiating elements having respective first to fourth radiating arms having respective bent portions. The bent portions of the first to fourth radiation arms are sequentially adjacent to each other, and sequentially form  and  shaped structures. The   and  shaped structures are located on a third quadrant, a fourth quadrant, a second quadrant, and a first quadrant, respectively. The first to fourth radiating elements have supports integrally extending from the bent portions of the first to fourth radiating arms to the reflection plate. The radiating module includes a first feeder line installed to transmit signals to the first and third radiating arms, and a second feeder line installed to transmit signals to the second and fourth radiating arms.

Currently, various frequency bands are becoming available to sufficiently compensate for deficient frequency bands as mobile communications become common and wireless broadband data communications become activated. The mainly used frequency bands are low frequency bands (698 to 960 MHz) and high frequency bands (1.71 to 2.17 GHz or 2.3 to 2.7 GHz). Further, the multiple antenna based MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) technology is an essential technology for increasing data transmission speed, and is applied to recent mobile communication network systems such as LTE (Long Term Evolution) and Mobile WiMAX.
However, when a plurality of antennas are installed to support the MIMO at various frequency bands, installation costs increase and tower spaces for installing antennas are significantly insufficient in an actual external environment. Further, tower rent costs increase and antenna management efficiency becomes an important problem.
Thus, triple band antennas are urgently requested instead of dual band antennas. While a high frequency band is inserted into an installation space for a low frequency band antenna and thus a width of the low frequency band antenna may be maintained according to a dual band antenna, it is difficult to insert a high frequency band antenna without increasing an antenna width when a triple band antenna is realized.
Meanwhile, due to a fear of common people that electromagnetic waves radiated from an antenna are harmful to human bodies, mobile communication providers conceal antennas if possible and decorate antennas in an environment-friendly way, making sizes of antennas important. Further, since installation of antennas tends to be prohibited unless local residents agree with the installation, recent mobile communication network antennas can be changed and installed only if the widths of the antennas do not exceed a width (for example, about 300 mm) of a conventionally installed low frequency antenna. Of course, classical problems such as a wind pressure load and a load applied to a tower still exist.
Thus, although triple band antennas are urgently requested in recent mobile communication network systems, a conventional wide antenna width cannot be allowed in the market.

Dual polarization antenna for a mobile communication base station, and multiband antenna system using same


A zero padding apparatus and method for fixed length signaling information are disclosed. A zero padding apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a processor configured to generate a LDPC information bit string by deciding a number of groups whose all bits are to be filled with 0 using a difference between a length of the LDPC information bit string and a length of a BCH-encoded bit string, selecting the groups using a shortening pattern order to fill all the bits of the groups with 0, and filling at least a part of remaining groups, which are not filled with 0, with the BCH-encoded bit string; and memory configured to provide the LDPC information bit string to an LDPC encoder.

Bit-Interleaved Coded Modulation (BICM) is bandwidth-efficient transmission technology, and is implemented in such a manner that an error-correction coder, a bit-by-bit interleaver and a high-order modulator are combined with one another.
BICM can provide excellent performance using a simple structure because it uses a low-density parity check (LDPC) coder or a Turbo coder as the error-correction coder. Furthermore, BICM can provide high-level flexibility because it can select modulation order and the length and code rate of an error correction code in various forms. Due to these advantages, BICM has been used in broadcasting standards, such as DVB-T2 and DVB-NGH, and has a strong possibility of being used in other next-generation broadcasting systems.
Such BICM may be used not only for the transmission of data but also for the transmission of signaling information. In particular, channel encoding and modulation techniques for the transmission of signaling information need to be more robust than channel encoding and modulation techniques for the transmission of data.
Therefore, in particular, there is a pressing need for new channel encoding and modulation techniques for the transmission of signaling information.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Zero padding apparatus for encoding fixed-length signaling information and zero padding method using same

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute


A method and device for controlling a rotation speed of a spindle of an optical disk drive includes a frequency detector, two phase detectors, a frequency divider, a low pass filter, a switch circuit, and a drive circuit. The method uses a wobble signal, an encoder EFM frame synchronization (EEFS) signal, an encoder subcode frame synchronization (ESFS) signal, and other related signals to generate five control signals for controlling the rotation speed of a motor connected to the spindle of the optical disk drive. Using the five control signals, the method limits the phase difference between the Absolute Time in Pre-groove (ATIP) sync and the ESFS to be within a predetermined value, and thus improves an update rate and a writing efficiency.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and device for controlling rotation speed of a spindle of an optical disk drive, and more particularly, to a method for controlling the rotation speed of the spindle of the optical disk drive by using a wobble signal and an encoder EFM frame synchronization (EEFS) signal.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In this modern information-based society, storing large amounts of information is a most important issue. Among the different kinds of storage media, compact disks (CDs) have become one of the most popular means of mass storage by virtue of their thin size and high storage capacity. Increasingly popular are recordable and rewritable CDs, which enable users of PCs having CD-R or CD-RW drives to record data to CDs.
To adequately manage data, the storage region of the CD is fragmented into many small frames. The CD also has a storage format that must be determined before writing data to a CD. An optical disk drive ascertains the storage format of the CD in advance to writing data onto the CD. The storage format refers additional frame information, including minute, second, and frame number that uniquely distinguish each frame. This additional frame information is known as Absolute Time in Pre-groove (ATIP).
Please refer to FIG. 1, which is a top view of a prior art CD 10. It is well known in the art that the CD 10 has a reflective layer 13 that can reflect laser light. When the CD 10 is placed inside a CD-R drive (not shown), an optical pickup head emits laser light that is modulated by different reflection-modes and different parts of the reflective layer 13. The laser light is reflected back to the optical pickup head of the CD-R drive so the CD-R drive can read information stored on the CD 10. Following the curvature of the CD 10, the reflective layer 13 has a thin, long spiral track 11. View 1A shows a magnified region of the track 11. Track 11 comprises a data track 12 for recording information, and a wobble track 14 for recording the frame information of each frame of the CD 10. The data track 12 follows a spiral path along the curvature of the CD 10, but appears as a straight line in the magnified view 1A. When viewed close-up, the wobble track 14 reveals an oscillatory spiral shape that is also shown following a straight path in magnified view 1A. The wobble track 14 is made up of two different intervals D1 and D2, which have different periods.
Magnified view 1B shows further detail of the data track 12 and the wobble track 14. The data track 12 is made up of discontinuous record marks 16 of varying length that store data. Data written to the CD 10 is encoded by controlling the length of the record marks 16. The wobble track 14 is used for storing information of each frame and is a continuous pair of tracks protruding out of the reflective layer 13. The raised structure of the wobble track 14 is shown in FIG. 2, which is a perspective view of magnified region 1B. In FIG. 2 the wobble track 14 is shown protruding out of the reflective layer 13, and the data track 12 comprising the record marks 16 is located in the groove between the protruding wobble tracks 14.
During the production of the CD 10, the wobble track 14 is made in advance to provide an ATIP signal to the CD-R drive so that data can be written to and read from the CD 10. The ATIP is generated from the wobble track 14 by means of frequency modulation (FM).
Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3. is a schematic diagram showing a prior art wobble signal 18 and a prior art ATIP signal 20. Since the wobble track 14 includes regions of two different periods D1 and D2, when the laser light is reflected by the wobble track 14 the generated wobble signal 18 comprises intervals of pulses of two different frequencies T1 and T2. The T1 interval of the wobble signal 18 represents a binary "1", and the T2 interval a binary "0". The corresponding ATIP signal 20 is thus generated by FM demodulation of the wobble signal 18. By demodulating the ATIP signal 20 a bi-phase signal 22 is generated, as summarized in the next paragraph.
Please refer to FIG. 4, which is a schematic diagram of a prior art bi-phase signal 22a generation process. When a logic level change of a signal 20a occurs in the middle of a bit cell, a binary "1" is represented in bi-phase signal 22a, as shown in the regions A and A″. Conversely, if a logic level of a bit cell "B" of the signal 20a remains "1", the bi-phase signal 22a is a binary "0" level. Similarly, if a logic level of a bit cell "C" of the signal 20a remains "0", the bi-phase signal 22a is also a binary "0". Accordingly, the interval between two contiguous changes in logic level is 1T or 2T.
Please refer to FIG. 5, which is a schematic diagram of a prior art ATIP 23. The ATIP 23 is composed of several blocks, and each of the blocks is 42 bits in length. The ATIP 23 includes a 4-bit sync mark 24, a 24-bit data code 26, and a 14-bit cyclic redundancy check 28. The 24-bit data code 26 comprises information of minutes 29, seconds 30, and frames 31. After the ATIP 23 has been bi-phased, the 84-bit bi-phase data signal 22 is generated.
Please refer to FIG. 4 and FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the sync mark 24 shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 4, the legal interval between two changes in level is 1T or 2T. However, there is still an illegal interval, 3T, available to detect the sync mark 24 in the header of the ATIP 23. The ATIP signal 20 format of the sync mark 24 is "3T-1T-1T-3T". Reading the sync mark 24 referencing an ATIP clock 32 generates a sync detecting signal 34. In this way, the optical disk drive uses the sync mark 24 to acquire information about the position of the CD 10 and establish a reference point so that the optical disk drive can record data onto the CD 10.
Please refer to FIG. 7A, which is a schematic diagram of a prior art frame. Data is stored on the CD 10 in the format of Eight to Fourteen Modulation (EFM) frames. An ATIP frame comprises 98 EFM frames, F1 to F98. Referring to FIG. 7B, each frame is composed of 588 bits, including sync data, subcode data, main data, p-parity, and q-parity. The main data, p-parity and q-parity form a main channel for storing the entity data, and the subcode data form a sub channel for storing information relative to the entity data, such as track number. In addition, as shown in FIG. 7C, the subcode data S0 of the first frame F1 and the subcode data S1 of the second frame F2 in the ATIP frame generate a subcode sync, which can be used to detect the synchronicity of an ATIP signal and a writing signal.
Moreover, the optical disk drive performs EFM to the data about to be stored according to an EFM write clock. The EFM write clock is synchronized with the writing data. The optical disk drive generates two reference clocks according to the EFM write clock. The first is an encoder EFM frame sync (EEFS), and the second is an encoder subcode frame sync (ESFS). Each frame data generates a corresponding EEFS, and each ATIP frame generates a corresponding ESFS. Since 98 frames form an ATIP frame, the frequency of the ESFS is 98 times that of the EEFS. The ESFS can thus serve as a reference signal to be compared with the ATIP in order to detect the synchronicity between the written data and the CD frame.
Please refer to FIG. 8, which is a schematic diagram of prior art ESFS 42 and ATIP sync 40. According to the Orange Book definition, the deviation 35 between the ATIP sync 40 and the ESFS 42 must be controlled to be within two frames. If the deviation 35 is too large, problems such as overlapping arise.
The prior art method for controlling rotation speed of a spindle in art optical disk drive controls the motor using the wobble signal and EEFS of a CD, and causes the track of the CD run at a constant linear velocity. When the optical disk drive has entered the writing made and prepares to write data onto the CD, the optical disk drive controls the motor by the phase difference between the ATIP sync and the ESFS. The optical disk drive further changes the phase difference by passing the signal through a low pass filter (LPF) to adjust the rotation speed of the motor, so as to make the deviation between the ATIP sync and the ESFS meet the standard. However, the prior art only applies an LPF to adjust the rotation speed of the motor in order to change the phase difference between the ATIP sync and the ESFS. When the phase difference becomes too large causing the rotation speed of the motor to be too fast, the LPF needs more response time to control the rotation speed of the motor. In addition, controlling the motor by the phase difference of the ATIP sync and the ESFS results in the drawback of a slow update rate.

Method and device for controlling the rotating speed of a spindle of an optical disk drive through a wobble signal, an EEFS signal and an ESFS signal


A semiconductor device includes a drift zone of a first conductivity type in a semiconductor body. Controllable cells are configured to form a conductive channel connected with the drift zone in a first state. First zones of the first conductivity type as well as second zones and a third zone of a complementary second conductivity type are between the drift zone and a rear side electrode, respectively. The first, second and third zones directly adjoin the rear side electrode. The third zone is larger and has a lower mean emitter efficiency than the second zones.

RC-IGBTs (reverse-conducting insulated gate bipolar transistor) monolithically integrate an IGBT and a free-wheeling diode. When the RC-IGBT is forward biased, the RC-IGBT is effective as an electronic switch capable of switching on and off a current flowing in a first direction between a collector and an emitter terminal, wherein the current is subject to a gate potential applied to a gate terminal and capacitively controlling a transistor channel. The RC-IGBT is in a transistor mode as long as a unipolar electron current through the transistor channel is below a threshold beyond which a voltage drop across the pn junction along p-type anode zones is sufficiently high such that the anode zones start injecting holes into the drift layer and a bipolar current flows in an IGBT mode. When the RC-IGBT is reverse biased, the RC-IGBT operates in a diode or reverse conducting mode and conducts a current flowing opposite to the first direction irrespective of the gate potential.
Typically, improving the characteristics of one mode of multi-mode semiconductor devices such as RC-IGBTs adversely affects another mode. It is desirable to improve the device characteristics of multi-mode semiconductor devices with less adverse impact on other device characteristics.

Semiconductor device and RC-IGBT with zones directly adjoining a rear side electrode


A tube (34) for disposition in a socket member (12) is characterized by having an end disposed in a socket member (12) and presenting a radially extending projection (38) and presenting an enlarged end (40) extending radially outwardly with the projection (38) from the remainder of the tube (34) and spaced from the projection (38) to define a saddle between the enlarged end (40) and the projection (38) for receiving a seal (42). The enlarged end (40) of the tube (34) is seated against a tube seat (24) of the socket member (12) and the enlarged end (40) and the projection (38) fit snugly within the socket member (12). The socket member (12) presents a radially extending shoulder and a quick connect member has an abutment (48) biased radially outwardly into a locked position in radial overlapping engagement with the shoulder to retain the tube (34) in the socket member (12) and moveable radially inwardly to a release position wherein the abutment (48) clears the shoulder to axially remove the quick connect member from the socket member (12) to remove the tube (34) from the socket member (12).

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a quick connect assembly for connecting a fluid conveying tube in a female socket in a member in fluid communication with the tube.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art of coupling or connecting a fluid tube to a female socket or receptacle is highly developed and therefore includes a wide variety of assemblies. There is, however, a constant need to simplify the assembly and the manufacturing time and expense and to provide alternative constructions. Examples of such assemblies are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,711,125 to Dehar and 3,826,523 to Eschbaugh. The Dehar assembly, in addition to bending of metal to form the quick connect member, also requires a secondary piercing operation in the arms and a specially shaped seal between the end of the tube and the socket. The Eschbaugh assembly requires a relatively close tolerance fit between the quick connect member and the interior of the socket and relatively long arms requiring more metal.


A process and a device for deciding class hierarchical relationship of an object oriented language which, in decision of the relationship of class inheritance of an object oriented language having a hierarchical relationship of classes, performs coding processing for affixing the codes each having a predetermined relation to each of those classes and decides the relationship of inheritance in a hierarchy of two optional classes with said series of codes affixed to said two optional classes having said hierarchical relationship.

The present invention relates to a process of deciding class inheritance of an object oriented language and a process and a device for determining a method based on described message passing in execution of a program described in a programming language classified into the object oriented language, and more particularly to a process and a device for determining a method in the object oriented language in which high-speed execution is aimed at by compiling.
In the object oriented language, a data structure called an object holds a procedure called a method. In order to execute the method held by the object, the method is activated by performing message passing to said object from another object. In general, since the object holds a plurality of methods, it is determined by a message selector included in message passing which method is to be activated by the message passing. Since the object holds the methods individually, the activated method differs when the object which is a passing destination of message passing which is called a receiver is different even for the same message selector.
Generally, in the object oriented language, the method is defined by a template of an object called a class, and an object created as an instance of a certain class (an object which belongs to said class) has all the methods declared in said class in common. A hierarchical relationship can be defined between two classes, and the method defined in a class in the super hierarchy is inherited in a class in its sub hierarchy. That is, by defining the hierarchical relationship of classes, it is possible to hold the method defined in a super class in common in a sub class without redefinition.
The above-described hierarchical relationship of classes is such that the direct super class of a certain class is only one, what is called single inheritance. The method is distinguished by a message selector which is defined for every method. This message selector corresponds to a method name. It is not allowed to define a different method having the same message selector in the same class. However, if the class is different, it is possible to define a method having the same message selector. When the method having the same message selector as the method inherited from the super class is defined, the method inherited from the super class is invalidated.
As described above, it is determined by the method held by the receiver and the message selector which method is activated by message passing. In case the object of the receiver is ascertained not at the execution time or in case the object is varied as often as execution, it is required to determine the method at the execution time of message passing. Conventionally, this method determining process has been implemented by retrieving the methods with the message selector obtained from a correspondence table of the class to which the receiver belongs as a key when the method and the message passing are executed in every class as discussed in "Multi-Paradigm Language TAO" written by Takeuchi (Magazine "bit" Vol. 20, No. 7, pp. 67-70, 1988). A dichotomizing search and a hash method are used as the retrieving method in this case.
When the method is inherited in accordance with the hierarchical relationship of classes, a process in which a correspondence table including all the inherited methods is provided in every class and a process in which only the methods defined in the class is provided as the correspondence table are known as the forming process of the correspondence table. In the former case, the method can be determined by retrieving only the correspondence table held by the class to which the receiver belongs as the determining process of the method. In the latter case, when the correspondence table held by the class to which the receiver belongs is retrieved and the corresponding method is found non-existent, it is possible to determine the method by performing similar retrieval operation on the class in the super hierarchy of the relevant class.
In the prior art as the premise of the present invention, it will be explained how to determine the method activated by above-described message passing from the message selector included in the message and the object (receiver) which is the passing destination.
First, the hierarchical relationship among the classes of the present object oriented language and the inheritance of the methods which are the premise of embodiments shown hereafter will be explained with a conventional exemplification with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 4.
FIG. 1 shows a hierarchy of classes defined in the present object oriented language and methods defined in respective classes. In FIG. 1, 110 to 114 denote classes and 115 to 118 denote hierarchical relationship among those classes. For example, the hierarchical relationship 115 shows that the direct super class of a class b 111 is a class a 110. 120 to 130 denote the methods defined in respective classes, the alphabetical portions denote method names, and the numerical portions denote explanatory symbols affixed for the purpose of distinguishing different methods. That is, the method A1 (120), the method A2 (123) and the method A3 (125) are different methods having the same method name A. The class b 111 inhibits the method Al (120), the method B1 (121) and the method C1 (122) from the class a 110 which is the super class thereof. However, since the method A2 (123) and the method D1 (124) are defined in the class b 111, inheritance of the method A1 (120) is invalidated, and the methods held in the class b 111 are the method A2 (123), the method B1 (121), the method C1 (122) and the method D1 (124).
Next, in FIG. 2, an object showing a polygon will be explained as a more concrete illustration of the classes of the object as compared with FIG. 1. As shown in this FIG. 2, a triangle, a quadrangle and a pentagon are defined as sub classes of the polygon. Furthermore, an isosceles triangle is defined as a sub class of the triangle and an equilateral triangle is defined as the sub class of this isosceles triangle. It is possible to define a parallelogram as the sub class of the quadrangle and a rectangle and a rhombus as the sub classes of this parallelogram. Such a relationship illustrates the hierarchy of the polygon.
It is possible to define a method in each of these classes. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a method AREA which seeks after an area can define the methods. Here, a method which is applicable to all the polygons is defined in the class polygon. This method is referred to as AREA 1 (the title if AREA, but 1 is affixed for the sake of distinction). Further, since the area of a triangle is obtained as "base.times.height/2", AREA 2 which executes "base.times.height/2" can be defined for the triangle. Similarly, AREA 4 which executes "one side.times..sqroot.3/2" can be defined for the equilateral triangle, and AREA 5 which executes "longer side.times. shorter side" can be defined for the square. In such a manner, it is possible to define classes and methods as shown in FIG. 3.
The hierarchical relationship of the classes and the inheritance of the methods shown in FIG. 1 are consolidated in FIG. 4.
In the next place, the relationship between the message passing and the methods activated by said message passing will be explained with exemplifications shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 4. The message passing from a certain object to another object in the present object oriented language is described as shown hereunder for instance. EQU (send ?X A(3))
In this exemplification, ?X denotes a variable indicating an object which is a receiver of the message sending, A denotes a message selector and 3 denotes a parameter. By means of this message passing, those methods that accord with the message selector A are activated among those methods held by the classes to which ?X belongs. Here, when ?X is an object which belongs to the class c 112, the activated method is the method A3 (125), and when ?X is an object which belongs to the class b 111 or the class d 113, the activated method is the method A2 (123), and further, when ?X is an object which belongs to the class a 110 or the class e 114, the activated method is the method A1 (120). The foregoing is determined univocally from a column 143 as defined and inherited methods in FIG. 4.
Similarly, in case of message passing: EQU (send ?X D(3))
p When ?X is an object which belongs to the class b 111, the class c 112 or the class d 113, the activated method is the method D1 (124). When ?X is an object which belongs to the class e 114, the activated method is the method D2 (130), and when ?X is an object which belongs to the class a 110, the activated method does not exist, and an execution time error is produced.
Two types of conventional processes of the process of determining a method which is activated by message passing will be explained hereafter.
First of all, a conventional process I includes a data structure which holds a summary with respect to every class of the direct super class of said class and the methods defined in those classes. This corresponds to a class column 140, a super class column 141 and a defined method column 142 shown in FIG. 4. The processing of determining a method using above-described data structure is shown in FIG. 5.
In this processing, a class to which an object corresponding to the receiver belongs is obtained first (step 150). Here, every object belongs to some class, and it can be found easily which object belongs to which class because of under control of a processing system. However, the procedure has no direct relationship with the present invention. Hence its explanation is omitted. The processing for obtaining a class of an object is discussed in detail in "Small talk 80 The Language and it's Implementation", 1983 by Adele Goldberg and David Robson published by Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
After the processing in this step 150, it is searched to find whether a method which accords with the message selector exists in the method defined in that class or not (step 151). When it exists, that method is determined to be the method to be activated (step 155). When it does not exist, it is checked whether a super class of that class exists or not (step 152). If a direct super class does not exist, any method to be activated does not exist, producing execution time error (step 154). If a direct super class exists, the searched class is determined as the direct super class thereof (step 153), and the step 151 and thereafter are repeated.
Next, in a conventional process II, there is provided in every class a data structure which holds a summary of methods defined in that class and methods inherited from super classes. The foregoing corresponds to the class column 140 and the column 143 of defined and inherited methods shown in FIG. 4. The processing of determining a method using this data structure is shown in FIG. 6.
In the present processing, a class to which an object corresponding to the receiver is obtained first in a similar manner as the conventional process I (step 160), and it is searched whether any method which accords with the message selector exists in the methods defined and inherited in that class or not (step 161). When it exists, that method is determined to be the method to be activated (step 162). Further, when it does not exist, a method to be activated does not exist, producing an execution time error (step 163).
In the conventional process II, the capacity of the data structure of the method summary for every class is larger as compared with the conventional process I. However, since the method can be determined by means of searching of one data structure only, this process is capable of determining a method at a higher speed than the conventional process I. Besides, dichotonizing search using a binary search table, a hash method using a hash table and the like are used for the data structure of method summary and the searching method thereof.
In above-described both conventional processes I and II, search processing of the method is performed whenever message passing is executed Accordingly, when the summary of the method which becomes a searching object is increased, searching takes time, thus reducing the execution speed as described previously.
As described with reference to above illustrations, there is such a problem in a conventional technique that, when an object of a receiver is not ascertained to be the execution time, or then it is varied as often as every execution, it is required to retrieve the correspondence table of the methods and the message selectors whenever message passing is executed, thus taking a long time for processing. In particular, when the types of methods held by the same object are increased, the speed is lowered to a great extent. Accordingly, the execution speed of an interpreter of the object oriented language in which above-described method determining process is adopted is low, and the execution speed of an objective code which is output by a compiler which outputs above-described method determining process as an objective code is also low.
Further, there is such a problem that, when a method is determined without retrieving the correspondence table of the methods and the message selectors in every message passing, it is required to judge the relationship of inheritance between the class to which the receiver which is the passing destination of message passing belongs and the class defining the method at the execution time, and the speed at the execution time is lowered if the speed of judging this relationship of inheritance is low.

Process and device for deciding class hierarchical relationship of object oriented language and process and device for determining method utilizing the same


A filling element for free jet filling of containers with a liquid charge includes a housing having a liquid channel formed therein, a liquid valve provided upstream of a dispensing opening, and an actuator device for actuating the liquid valve for controlled discharge of the liquid charge via the dispensing opening into a container arranged with a container opening thereof spaced below the dispensing opening. In an open state thereof, the liquid valve forms an opening gap through which the liquid charge flows. This opening gap has a gap width of at least four millimeters. The actuating device for the liquid valve is configured to cause the liquid valve to be in the open state for at least one hundred milliseconds.

A fundamental problem of known filling systems is that of preventing ambient air from penetrating through a dispensing opening and into the liquid channel of valve chamber of a filling element. It is important to do so because air that has penetrated into the liquid channel causes air bubbles that eventually rise into the product lines and finally into the boiler that supplies liquid charge to all the filling elements of the filling system. This can lead to contamination of charge in the product lines and in the boiler. It can also lead to loss of measurement accuracy because rising air bubbles may interfere with operation of flow meters or other measurement devices.
In known filling elements, an actuator opens the liquid valve as quickly and completely as possible. In these known filling elements, a valve can be completely open within as few as 50 milliseconds.
A liquid valve has a gap across its opening. The width of this gap when the valve is fully open is known to have an effect on how much air penetrates into the channel. According to generally established opinion, an effective way to prevent air from penetrating into the liquid channel of the filling element is to make make the width of this gap as small as possible. In most known filling systems, the gap width is approximately 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm.
An additional way to suppress entry of ambient air is to use a gas lock in the liquid channel. A gas lock has a multiplicity of passages, each with minimum flow cross section. These narrow passages make it difficult for ambient air to penetrate and thus suppress formation of air bubbles rising in the filling element and in the product lines.
These known free-jet filling elements are effective when the contents of the container are purely liquid. However, in some cases, the contents include solid constituents. For example, fruit juices may include suspended solids such as fruit flesh and/or fruit fibers, or pulp. These products require gap sizes or gap widths for the gap of the open filling element of more than 3 millimeters. This is much greater than the usual range of 1-1.5 millimeters that has been found effective to reduce ingress of air.
Obviously, making the gap wide enough to accommodate fruit pulp and the like would likely lead to the penetration of air bubbles into the liquid channel and via the product channels or lines into the product boiler.

Filling element, method and filling system for filling containers


Disclosed is a completely digital solution for a new type of root-mean-square to direct current conversion (RMS-to-DC) apparatus. The design is based on delta-sigma modulation (Δ-ΣM) and the direct nonlinear processing of the Δ-Σ modulated pulse stream. The only external component of the integrated circuit (IC) is capacitor C. The disclosed apparatus consists of low power consuming components which are simple, reliable and inexpensive.

1. Field of the Invention
(0001) The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for the nonlinear processing of delta-modulated pulse stream. The analog input signal is first converted into a one-bit high density pulse stream using the delta-sigma modulator (Δ-ΣM) as an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). Δ-ΣM is highly oversampled and its pulse stream is nonlinearly processed in the rectifying encoder (RE), then filtered and fed back into a reference input of the Δ-Σ modulator. This circuit is known as the root-mean-square to direct current converter (RMS-to-DC). Thus, the field of this invention is a nonlinear processing of Δ-ΣM one-bit pulse stream and it belongs to the area of non-linear digital signal processing (DSP).
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a number of published references dealing with integrated RMS-to-DC converters. The majority of these publications deal with analog processing methods using trans-linear property of bipolar circuitry. These converters are difficult to implement in standard CMOS processes.
In the digital processing methods, which use high-speed n-bit ADC, the RMS value of an input signal is calculated by ordinary DSP calculation methods. The problem is that the digital computation unit occupies a large chip area and thus, does not lead to a low-cost solution.
To cope with analog component limitations, the use of Δ-Σ modulation is proposed in reference [1]. A similar approach is used by Linear Technology Inc. [2]. In both approaches an analog signal is Δ-Σ modulated and then multiplied (in a multiplying DAC) by a polarity signal at the output of Δ-Σ modulator. This mixed processed signal is then filtered and fed back to the negative input of the Δ-Σ modulator as a reference signal. When the reference input signal of a Δ-Σ modulator is taken into account, then the output of the modulator can be interpreted as a ratio-metric function plus quantization noise [U.S. Pat. No. 6,587,061 B2].
The mixed mode analog/digital multiplier, which performs the squaring operation of the analog signal by means of Δ-ΣM, is known as a polarity switch, and is proposed in reference [U.S. Pat. No. 6,285,306 B1].

Digital architecture for delta-sigma RMS-to-DC converter


A liquid crystal panel including an array substrate and a color filter substrate which are disposed opposite and multiple fan-out lines and a color resist layer stacked along a direction from the array substrate toward the color filter substrate. The color film substrate is provided with a common electrode layer. A color resist layer and a columnar spacer are mutually abutted to ensure a distance between the array substrate and the color filter. The color resist layer includes a first plane facing the columnar spacer, and the common electrode line or the common electrode layer surrounds the color resist layer and exposes the first plane. When the liquid crystal panel is subjected to a larger external force such that deformation or displacement occurs between the columnar spacer and the color resist layer, the common electrode line and the common electrode layer are not conductive to form a short circuit.

After the alignment process of the array substrate and the color filter substrate is completed, a columnar spacer and the color resist layer located in a display region are mutually abutted, and a gap between the array substrate and the color filter substrate in the display region can be ensured. Correspondingly, in order to ensure a same gap between the array substrate and the color filter substrate in a fan-out region of the array substrate, the columnar spacer and the color resist layer between the array substrate and the color filter substrate are usually disposed in the fan-out region.
It can be understood that the color resist layer and the columnar spacer in the fan-out region are prepared by the same process as the color resist layer and the columnar spacer in the display region, thereby the common electrode layer and the common electrode line respectively on the color filter substrate and the array substrate will cover on the color resist layer. When the liquid crystal panel is impacted by a larger external force, the columnar spacer may be displaced or compressed with the color resist layer, so that the common electrode line and the common electrode layer are conductive such that the liquid crystal panel generate a short circuit.

Liquid crystal panel, liquid crystal display device and electronic device

SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.


An electronic binoculars includes: first and second imaging units with a predetermined horizontal distance therebetween disposed in a housing; optical members that guide image light beams to the first and second imaging units; a sensor that detects angular acceleration or acceleration acting on the housing; an image processor that processes image signals produced by the first and second imaging units and corrects the image signals in terms of the change in motion of the housing in accordance with the angular acceleration or acceleration detected by the sensor; and first and second displays with a horizontal distance therebetween disposed in the housing, the first and second displays displaying the image signals processed by the image processor.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to binoculars used by a user to view an enlarged remote scene or other objects with both eyes, and particularly to electronic binoculars that digitizes and displays images captured through imaging systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been an apparatus developed or proposed as what is called digital binoculars including imaging units that convert image light beams into electric image signals and display units that display the images captured by the imaging units. The binoculars of this type are suitable to view a stationary subject or a nearly stationary subject.
That is, each of the imaging units includes an optical system, such as a lens having a relatively high magnification, enlarges and displays a remote, stationary subject, and shows the enlarged subject to a user who wears the digital binoculars. Since digital processing can be performed on the image signals, a variety of image processing operations can be carried out. For example, images captured in a dark environment are brightened before displayed, or hand-shake correction (the "hand-shake" used herein refers to a shake caused by hands) is made, as performed in a digital video camcorder.
JP-A-2004-133185 discloses an example of the electronic binoculars of this type.


Methods and apparatus for use in conjunction with a telephone or with equipment in telecommunication with a remote telephone are disclosed. The apparatus provides an indication as to whether a remote party using the remote telephone has performed a specific act causing the generation of a hook flash-type signal which is detected by the apparatus. The apparatus includes a low pass filter for passing energy having frequencies below about 500 Hz, and energy detector for detecting a specific electrical energy pulse having been filtered by the low pass filter and having a predetermined minimum magnitude. The apparatus also includes software for cooperating with the energy detector to detect a specific event(s) occurring on the telephone line during a predetermined maximum time window following the detection of a specific pulse. The detection of the specific event(s) provides an indication as to whether the remote party has performed a specific act such as attempting to initiate a 3-way conference call.

Prior to a June, 1984 FCC decision, pay telephones were the exclusive province of local telephone companies. Others were precluded from the business of providing pay telephone services. Today, however, subject to state Public Utility Commission regulations, Customer Owned Coin Operated Telephone (COCOT) service is permitted. An outgrowth of COCOT service has been the private operation of institutional telephone services. As might be expected, this "privatization" of phone systems has created a number of technical challenges including the detection of a called party's response by dialing a pulse-dial telephone and, in the case of prison systems, the prevention of three-way calling.
Coin telephones owned by local telephone companies generally utilize DC signals to signal called-party-answer. This information is transmitted between telephone company central offices and then to the originating pay telephone telling it, in effect, to accept payment for the call. This information is not, however, normally communicated to conventional, i.e., regular business and residential, telephones nor has this information been available to COCOT equipment. Collect calls placed through COCOT equipment are typically handled by an Alternate Operator Service (AOS), thus providing the owner of the COCOT equipment with the ability to provide collect call service and bill users of that service for both intra- and inter-LATA calls. However, the use of an AOS for collect calls is expensive. In addition, it opens the possibility of fraudulent activity in certain instances.
In many institutions the phone calls placed by a patient/client or prison inmate are collect calls. Collect calls initiated by a patient/client must be indicated as such to the called party. In addition, calls placed by an inmate to an outside party often begin with a prerecorded message stating that the call or collect call is from "a prison" and is being placed by "prisoner's name." In the above cases the called party is usually asked to dial a digit, commonly a `0`, to accept the call or collect call and attendant charges. The phone system providing such service must be able to detect such acceptance both as a DTMF tone response from a touch-tone phone as well as detect the line current interruptions caused by the equivalent response on a pulse-dial telephone.
The clients/inmates in some institutions may be allowed to call only numbers on a preauthorized list in order to deter fraudulent activity. A prison phone system must be able to detect the called party flashing the hook switch in order to prevent the called party from activating three-way (conference) calling, dialing another number and then connecting the prisoner to an unauthorized phone number.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a telecommunications system which can automate and simplify the processes currently handled by a traditional AOS. Specifically, a need has risen for a telephone station which can automatically route local and long distant calls without the intervention of an outside service or live operator, and which enables the telephone owner/service provider to charge for the completion of a call or collect call while preventing three-way calling.

Method and apparatus for detecting and responding to hook flash events occurring on a remote telephone