A motor powered scooter for supporting a standing rider has an improved torsion acting shock absorbing mount for the cantilevered shock absorbing support of at least one of the scooter wheels from the frame. At least one torsion acting shock absorber is utilized. In a preferred embodiment, the torsion acting shock absorber includes a square sectioned metal tube, a correspondingly square sectioned metal shaft, and confined compressible rubber rods acting there between. The torsion acting shock absorber is attached at right angles to the main structural tube and protrudes at an end to one side of the main structural tube. A cantilevered wheel support is mounted offset from the main structural tube at the end of the shock absorber remote from the main structural tube. A shock absorbing suspension is disclosed for both the front steered wheel and the rear driven wheel.

All-terrain scooters are known. See Patmont U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,539. The "all-terrain" scooter disclosed therein is provided with a large central tubular chassis having two central brackets supporting a platform. At the front, the tubular chassis bends upward through a notch in the platform upwardly and above the front wheel to support a steering wheel head tube. At the rear, the tubular frame is offset to one side of the chassis for one-sided cantilevered support of the rear driven wheel, this cantilevered support providing for economic manufacture. From this rear portion of the frame, pivotal and cantilevered mounting of an engine having a protruding shaft with a tire driving surface occurs. Generally, the scooter is driven on enlarged tires with its principal use being off-road, typically over rough terrain.
This scooter has found extensive use in both sporting and off-road patrol functions. Regarding such sporting functions, racing and jumping in both organized and unorganized individual and team competition now regularly occurs. Likewise, in off-road patrol functions, the scooter is typically transported in the trunk of the car or the bed of the truck to the end of a road, lifted from its transported disposition, assembled, and used for transport of a patrolling officer to locations where his car or truck can not take him. In either event, improved all-terrain performance is required. In order for such all-terrain performance to occur, the ability to soften the impact of scooter takeoff and landing from terrain obstacles, such as rocks, potholes, and the like, have been required.
Referring to Martin U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,393, the rear driving wheel is shown mounted to a support bracket pivotal with respect to the rear portion of a scooter. A shock absorber extends between the scooter platform and a point above the scooter platform on the pivoting support bracket. The shock absorber absorbs energy by undergoing compression upon impact of the rear driven wheel of the scooter with the ground.
It is also known to use essentially the same arrangement and have the shock absorber extend between a pivot point underlying the platform and a lower and protruding portion of the rear wheel supporting frame.
Both arrangements have their disadvantages. Where the shock absorber is mounted above the platform, both the mount and the shock absorber are exposed to the foot of the rider. Interference with the rider's firm footing on the platform can occur. Further, the feet of the rider can be knocked out of position on the platform or the feet of the rider can damage the shock absorber. Where the shock absorber is mounted below the platform, the shock absorber is inevitably exposed to the underlying irregular terrain. Where the shock absorber is exposed to the underlying irregular terrain, the inevitable particulate matter impacting the shock absorber can interfere with shock absorber operation and even damage the shock absorber to the point of inoperability.
In both of the above examples, the shock absorber must move relative to the platform and undercarriage of the scooter during shock absorbing motion. This required motion increases the profile required for shock absorber operation relative to the top and/or bottom of the scooter.
Torsion acting shock absorbers are known. In Henschen U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,277,450 and 5,411,287, there is disclosed a torsion axle for use as a shock absorber with trailers. Specifically, square sectioned torsion shafts, square sectioned metal tubes and a plurality of resilient rubber rods acting between the square sectioned torsion shafts and metal tubes are utilized. The resilient rubber rods are confined between the square sectioned metal tubes and the square sectioned metal shafts so as to be compressed by the square sectioned metal shaft when the square sectioned metal shaft rotates relatively to the square sectioned metal tubes. The resilient rubber rods come under compression and torsionally resist rotation of the square sectioned shafts. In a typical application, the metal tubes are attached to the trailer. The torsion shafts are attached to the wheels by an eccentric crank, which eccentric crank is off center with respect to a line extending vertically from the axis of rotation of the wheel vertically upward normal to the trailer. The crank extends outwardly and away from the metal tubes so that the wheels are supported outwardly and away from both the torsion axle and the trailer. When the trailer encounters shock inducing bumps along its path of travel, shock absorbing movement of the crank mounted wheel occurs.
We have a previous shock absorber arrangement designed for a motor powered scooter. In Patmont U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,959 issued Dec. 30, 2003 entitled Scooter with Integral Frame Mounted Shock Absorber, there is disclosed a motor powered scooter for supporting a standing rider that has a front steered wheel, a rear driven wheel, and a platform there between that supports a standing rider on the scooter. The platform is disposed substantially horizontally along a longitudinal axis, and in the preferred embodiment has a main structural tube disposed in supporting relation under the platform. A shock absorber having first and second relatively moving ends for energy absorbing movement is fastened in fixed relation to the underside of the platform with one of the relatively moving ends disposed to and toward the rear driven wheel. In a preferred embodiment, the shock absorber is protectively encased and held within the main structural tube underlying and supporting the platform. A rear frame is provided for supporting the rear driven wheel. This rear frame is connected at a pivot relative to the platform. A linkage has a first connection to the rear frame offset from the pivot. This linkage connects at a second connection at the relatively moving end of the shock absorber. The pivot of the driving wheel supporting frame relative to the platform causes energy absorbing shock absorber movement.
Discovery of Design Criteria
From the standpoint of an economically manufactured and functioning scooter, two design requirements are desirable. First, for the economical manufacture of the scooter, the wheels must be cantilevered with respect to the frame. Traditional fork mounting of either the front or rear axle is to be avoided.
Second, for the functioning of the scooter, it is required that the shock absorber be confined in a completely protected manner while at the same time functioning to dampen the inevitable shock which the scooter undergoes during use. It will be seen that the following disclosed design, enables these design requirements.
Insofar as the prior art does not suggest nor specifically disclose the desirability of these two design requirements, invention is claimed. The reader will understand that determining design requirements as well as meeting those design requirements can constitute invention.

Suspension apparatus for scooter utilizing offset frame with torsion shock absorber


An insufflating/suctioning valve having a valve body containing fluid flow controlling members which are two resilient plastic tubes, a spring-biased actuating mechanism having three positions to control flow or to shut off flow in each tube, or to shut off flow simultaneously in both tubes.

The present invention finds application in carrying out those medical procedures where it has become necessary to remove fluid from the tracheal regions of persons who otherwise would be placed in a life threatening situation. Suctioning catheters have for many years been used for this purpose but are beginning to be superseded by insufflating/suctioning valves, that is, valves which alternatively provide fluid suctioning and oxygenation (insufflation) of the tracheal region.
Examples of various known insufflation and suctioning valves may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,705,073, 4,193,406, 4,595,005 and 4,300,550. The advantage which valves of this type have in comparison with suctioning catheters is enormous, since both oxygen to replace that removed during suctioning and fluid removal by suction are supplied by the same device; whereas the use of suctioning catheters requires a separate, less controlled and therefore hazardous administration of oxygen to the patient. The principal advantage which may be attributed to the use of suctioning catheters is their cost, which is a fraction of that of insufflation valves currently being marketed.


A utility brush for use in the kitchen to clean such items as pots, pans, utensils, dishes, sinks and plastic storage and serving vessels. The brush comprises a substantially rectangular bristle block with an array of bristles extending downwardly from its bottom surface. A gently curved handle extends upwardly and rearwardly from the central and rearward portion of the bristle block top enabling scrubbing power to be applied to the center of the bristle block and thus to the entire array of bristles. A first scraper extends upwardly and forwardly from the bristle block top surface along the bristle block forward edge from a first forward corner of the bristle block toward the second forward bristle block corner, terminating short thereof. A second upstanding tooth-like scraper is located at the second bristle block forward corner. The second scraper is narrower along the bristle block forward edge than along the adjacent bristle block side edge. The first and second scrapers define a notch therebetween. The first scraper can be used on exterior and flat surfaces. The base of the notch can be used to scrape edges and rims of pots, pans, skillets, lids and the like. The second scraper can be used to clean interior vessel wall surfaces, corners and crevices, as well as grooves of the type found in plastic storage container lids.

Prior art workers have developed many types of kitchen brushes provided with elongated handles and having some form of scraper in association therewith. U.S. De. Pat. Nos. De. 203,026; De. 231,283 and De. 307,077 are exemplary of such brushes. Scraper provided brushes are also taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,792,584 and 2,807,814.
Many such prior art brushes, however, are characterized by complex structure and the fact that they must be handled with some care since the scrapers thereon are somewhat hazardous. The present invention is based upon the development of a hand held scrub brush for use in the kitchen on items such as pots, pans, utensils, sinks, dishes, and plastic storage and serving utensils, which brush is provided with a unique scraper arrangement. The scraper arrangement is not hazardous and does not cause the brush to require special handling. On the other hand, the scraper arrangement provides a versatility of use hitherto unavailable.
The scraper arrangement of the present invention is capable of scraping exterior and flat surfaces, as well as interior surfaces. Interior corners and crevices can also be scraped, as well as the grooves of the type found in the lids of plastic storage and serving vessels. The scraper arrangement of the present invention also enables the cleaning of pot and skillet rims, lid rims and the like.
The brush of the present invention is provided with an elongated handle which transmits scrubbing power to the center of the bristle block, and therefore, to the entire array of bristles extending therefrom. The handle is provided with anti-slip means facilitating the normal push-pull action of a scrubbing operation.


An array substrate includes a substrate, a dummy pad and a driving signal output line. The substrate includes a display area displaying an image, and a peripheral area surrounding the display area. The dummy pad extends along a first direction in the peripheral area of the substrate, and includes a first protrusion portion protruding from an end portion of the dummy pad along the first direction. The driving signal output line extends along a second direction crossing with the first direction, is disposed adjacent to the dummy pad, and provides an external signal. Accordingly static electricity provided to the driving signal output line flows into the dummy pad having the first protrusion portion, so that static electricity may be prevented from flowing into the display area.

1. Field of the Invention
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to an array substrate, a display apparatus having the array substrate, and a method of manufacturing the array substrate. More particularly, example embodiments of the present invention relate to an array substrate having a chip-on glass (COG) type mount, a display apparatus having the array substrate, and a method of manufacturing the array substrate.
2. Discussion of the Background
In general, a display apparatus includes a display panel including an array substrate and an opposing substrate facing the array substrate. The display panel includes a display area to display an image, and a peripheral area surrounding the display area. In the display area, a switching element and a pixel electrode are formed. In the peripheral area, data and gate drivers to drive the switching element and the pixel electrode, and an electrostatic prevention diode or an electrostatic prevention transistor disposed between the switching element and the data and gate drivers, are formed.
The data and gate drivers are mounted in the peripheral area of the array substrate as a chip-on-film (COF) type mount or a chip-on-glass (COG) type mount. When the data and gate drivers are mounted in the peripheral area of the array substrate as a COG type mount, a driver driving line as well as a chip is directly mounted on the array substrate. The driver driving line may include a power source line, a data driving line and a gate driving line, etc.
Particularly, when the power source line is disposed on the array substrate, a voltage drop is relatively high compared to a case where the power source line is disposed on a tape. To solve a higher voltage drop problem of the power source line disposed on the array substrate, a width of the power source line may be increased to decrease the voltage drop. In addition, the power source line may be disposed between input and output bumps of the chip, so that space on the display panel may be used efficiently.
However, when the power source line having a wide width is disposed between the input and output bumps of the chip, a static electricity may easily flow through the power source line. The static electricity provided from the power source line may flow into data and gate lines through data and gate pads respectively, so that an electrostatic diode of the peripheral area may be damaged. In addition, a damage of the electrostatic diode may induce a damage of a line of the display area.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form any part of the prior art.

Array substrate, display apparatus having the same and method of manufacturing the same


A diaper pail having a top chamber with top transparent doors, and a transparent outer casing, allowing a user to see the rotating inner barrel as it spins within the transparent outer casing. The inner barrel holds a disposable bag and as it rotates the inner barrel untwists the neck of the bag, thus opening the bag for a soiled diaper to fall into the bag from the top chamber, and then the bag returns to its original twisted closed configuration. The soiled diaper falls into the bag while the doors of the top chamber remain shut, keeping malodorous gas from escaping. The visual spectacles provided by this diaper pail also act to change infant and toddler behavior by associating diaper change with a fun and fascinating event.

(1). Field of the Disclosure
The field of the disclosure relates to disposal systems of malodorous waste packages, namely soiled diapers.
(2). Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Soiled diapers and/or other waste items can generate unpleasant odors, especially over extended time periods. Consequently, placing such waste items in a waste container that does not provide adequate sealing can result in the undesirable result of having odors escape into the surrounding environment.
At present, there are numerous diaper disposal pails on the market; however, none are entirely satisfactory. Diaper pails presently on the market simply have tops that cover a container housing the soiled diapers, yet such tops are not hands-free; They therefore require a user to grasp a handle, a latch, or the like to open the container in order to dispose of the diaper. Accordingly, such diaper pails serve as adequate disposal containers, yet are still unable to contain or mask the stench of soiled diapers because upon opening the diaper pail top, the stench will almost certainly waft out of the container. Some diaper pails have add-on products such as carbon filters or baking soda cartridges to absorb or neutralize odors; these may not be completely effective solutions given that the bags within the diaper pails are not sealed off to prevent odors from escaping once the top of the diaper pail is opened.
Other diaper pails such as U.S. Pat. No. 8,127,519, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, have flexible material separating the main body cavity of the pail from an upper portion of the pail. However, such diaper pails still do not afford hands-free disposal and require the user to forcefully push the diaper by hand through the flexible webbing into the main body cavity of the pail. In addition, although there may be a twisting mechanism in an effort to contort and seal off a neck of the bag, the flexibility of the material fails to create a tight seal thereby leaving gaps allowing odors to escape through the bag opening.
Another receptacle such as that illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,526, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses a receptacle with a rotatably mounted holder. When a user steps on a foot pedal, the holder rotates to twist and untwist a bag. While an upper portion of the bag is fixed to the receptacle, a lower portion of the bag is adhered to the holder using a double-sided adhesive tape so that the bag rotates with the holder. However, this receptacle has its disadvantages in that the bag maintains its twisted formation only when the top is closed. Upon pressing down the foot pedal, the top opens, the holder rotates, and the bag opens causing the unpleasant odors to flow out of the open bag.
Accordingly, there is a continuing need for an improved diaper pail or waste container having a hands-free or touch-free means for enhanced confinement of malodorous waste objects deposited into a container thereby retaining and preventing offensive odors from being emitted from the waste container. In other words, a desired waste disposal system would feature a means of depositing waste into a container while maintaining the bag in a closed formation for at least the duration of time that the top is open so that the user would not have to risk inhaling undesirable odors.
All referenced patents, applications and literatures are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein, is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply. The disclosure may seek to satisfy one or more of the above-mentioned desires. Although the present disclosure may obviate one or more of the above-mentioned desires, it should be understood that some aspects of the disclosure might not necessarily obviate them.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

System and apparatus for waste disposal and changing infant-toddler behavior


The present invention relates to a system and method for increasing the cognitive function in a fetus. The system transmits a pattern of sonic variations to the fetus. The pattern of sonic variations is formed of a plurality of sequences of tones in which each sequence is repeated at a predetermined tempo. Each sequence of tones is selected to be transmitted to the fetus at a predetermined time during the term of the pregnancy. Preferably, each subsequent sequence of tones is selected to be repeated at increasing tempo during the term of the pregnancy, thereby providing a progressive pattern of sonic variations. A similar system and method can be used for improving the cognitive function of a premature baby. In addition, the present invention relates to a system and method for altering the cognitive function in a postnatal human by transmitting aurally or through bone conduction a progressive pattern of sonic variations or a regressive pattern of sonic variations to the wearer of the system.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method and system of reproducing a pattern of sound variations and applying the pattern to a human fetus, infant, child, adolescent or adult, with possible animal applications.
2. Description of the Related Art
Systems are known for transmitting external stimuli to the human fetus. U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,539 describes a method and system for systematically educating and communicating with a baby in its mother""s womb. Educational messages or soothing messages are transmitted to the fetus. The messages can include, for example, soothing music, simple words or nursery rhymes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,968 describes a method and apparatus for presenting voice or noise to a fetus in which the sounds more accurately resemble the same sounds as the baby will hear after birth. Recorded sounds are contoured and amplified. The sound range is in the 1000 to 2000 hertz range on the order of 90 to 95 decibels.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,756 discloses a system for delivering sound to a fetus through the mother""s abdomen and which also allows monitoring of the effects of the sound on the fetal child. A sound generator, for example a radio or so called xe2x80x9cwalkmanxe2x80x9d unit, generates sound. The sound is applied by speakers located on a belt. The belt is juxtapositioned to the abdomen in proximity of the fetal child. The sound can include soothing music or like sounds. A stethoscope is located in proximity to the fetal child to monitor the effects on the fetal child.
Mental performance in vertebrates is signified by electrical energy which can be monitored on the cranial surface with skin transducers producing an electroencephalogram (EEG). Such output is measured in cycles per second (hertz). An alpha rhythm relates to a human baseline indicating a state of relaxed wakefulness when the eyes are closed. Some analyses have shown alpha rates generally rise according to increased neural complexity on the evolutionary scale, from amphibia to Homo sapiens. Human alpha rhythm is attained by puberty in the range of 8-13 hertz, averaging 10 hertz, and diminishes only slightly with age.
Both prebirth and newborn alpha rhythms, referred to as protoalpha, have been found to be in the range of 1-2 hertz and the alpha rhythms increase incrementally until reaching the adult maximum of 10 hertz. Developmentally, it has been suggested that an alpha rhythm can be both a significant empirical indicator and predictor of reduced or amplified mental capacity. A child whose alpha rhythm is advanced beyond the norm may therefore have attained a more mature level of cognitive function than someone of similar age having a lower alpha rhythm.
It is desirable to provide a method and system for reproducing sonic variations in which the tempo and/or pitch of the variations can be altered to provide a predetermined pattern which can be applied to a wearer of the system in order to affect a desired increased cognitive function.
The present invention relates to a system and method for increasing the cognitive function in a fetus. It has been found that a progressive pattern of sonic variations reproducing incrementally faster alpha rhythms at levels and formats appropriate to the prenatal stage which is repeatedly transmitted to the fetal child is advantageous in increasing cognitive function. The pattern of sonic variations is formed of a plurality of sequences of tones in which each sequence is repeated at a predetermined frequency. Each sequence of tones is selected to be transmitted to the fetus at a predetermined time during the term of the pregnancy. Preferably, each subsequent sequence of tones is selected to be repeated at increasing frequency during the term of the pregnancy, thereby providing a progressive pattern of sonic variations.
The method can include a determination of a maternal bloodpulse baseline as it occurs in utero. Tones in the pattern of sonic variations can be determined as the tone of the maternal bloodpulse baseline or tonal variations therefrom. The tonal variations can be selected to increase in subsequent sequences of tones.
A similar system and method can be used for improving the cognitive function of a premature baby. In addition, the present invention relates to a system and method for altering the cognitive function in a postnatal human being by transmitting aurally or through bone conduction a progressive pattern of sonic variations or a regressive pattern of sonic variations to the wearer of the system.
The invention will be more fully described by reference to the following drawings.

Method and system for reproducing a progressive or regressive pattern of sonic variations


The application provides a bimodal polypropylene random copolymer with good response to nucleating agents, increased crystallization temperature, good mechanical and optical properties, as well as low amounts of extractables and good processability in the sense of high Melt Flow Rate. The present invention further relates to articles made thereof, and the use of the bimodal polypropylene random copolymer for specific applications. It also relates to a process for the preparation of said bimodal polypropylene random copolymer.

Polypropylene random copolymers are widely used in injection moulding applications, especially for producing packaging articles, as they are well known and appreciated for their mechanical and optical properties as well as their very convenient processing.
Typical applications are e.g. thin wall packaging, houseware applications, containers for food and other packaging issues, etc.
Said polypropylene random copolymers are often further modified with various nucleating agents to increase the crystallization temperature, improve the optical properties, like haze or improve mechanical properties like stiffness. A high crystallization temperature is also desired to allow faster conversion and consequently a reduction of cycle time, e.g. in injection moulding.
Several attempts have been made to improve mechanical or optical behaviour of such propylene random copolymers. However, it is well known and acknowledged in the art, that these properties are strongly linked with each other. Accordingly improving the one is often at the expense of the other.
This is even more true, as soon as migration aspects and/or purity have to be considered.
Single-site catalysts are well known in the field of producing polypropylene.
They are increasingly used for copolymerization of propylene with other comonomers, due to their highly random insertion of the comonomer units along the chain. A highly random comonomer insertion improves the optical behaviour. The inherently narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD) resulting from polymerization with said single-site catalysts furthermore reduces the amount of extractable fractions.
Said highly random comonomer insertion of single-site based polypropylenes however can cause disadvantages for mechanical properties of the final polymer: based on this highly random comonomer distribution, these polypropylene grades tend to become much less stiff than Ziegler-Natta grades at a similar comonomer content, nevertheless providing lower impact behaviour. Said stiffness reduction is aggravated by the aforementioned narrow MWD.
Furthermore, the main drawback of polypropylene random copolymers produced via single-site catalysis is their worse nucleation response: This is expressed in lower crystallization temperatures than observed in polymers produced via Ziegler-Natta catalysis and having similar polymer characteristics as e.g. comonomer content and type, amount of soluble fractions, etc.
It is further known, that very high cooling rates (i.e. 100 K/sec or above) suppress the crystallization of the stable monoclinic phase of polypropylene. Instead polypropylene solidifies in its less stable mesomorphic phase.
Cooling rates higher than 100 K/s lead to a decrease of the crystallization temperature of the monoclinic α-structure from about 120 to 70° C. respectively. At rates above 90 K/s a second exothermic event at a lower temperature of about 30° C. is observed. The low temperature exothermic event is related to the formation of a second ordered phase, the mesomorphic phase. Further increase of cooling rate to above about 300 K/s completely suppresses the crystallization of monoclinic α-structure and revealed only the formation of mesomorphic phase. The suppression of the monoclinic phase formation at high cooling rates results in decrease of the crystallinity of the polypropylene from 50-60% to 20-30%. This effect is known as "quenching".
It is further well known and documented, that the above mentioned quenching takes place regardless if the polypropylene comprises nucleating agents like Bis-(3,4-dimethylbenzylidene)sorbitol or not:
It is also known in the art that an increasing comonomer content as well as an increase of the MFR promotes the tendency for quenching and accordingly decreases the solidification temperature (Ts) at given cooling rates.


The delay locked loop circuit includes a charge pump circuit that may charge and discharge in response to an assertion of an up signal and a down signal, respectively. The delay locked loop circuit also includes a detection circuit that may assert the up signal indicating an occurrence of a transition of a first clock signal and may assert the down signal indicating an occurrence of a transition of a second clock signal. The delay locked loop circuit further includes a delay circuit that may provide a plurality of delayed clock signals and an additional delayed clock signal, each corresponding to a delayed version of the first clock signal. Further, a false lock circuit may provide a reset signal to the detection circuit dependent upon whether a predetermined number of successive clock edges associated with the delayed clock signals occur within a given clock cycle of the first clock signal.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to clock generation circuits and, more particularly, to delay locked loop circuits.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many circuits employ clock circuits that generate one or more clock signals having different frequencies from a reference clock. For example, a system may include reference clock generator or oscillator circuit that provides an output signal at a given frequency. The output signal may be used as a reference to generate any number of other clock signals for use in different parts of the system.
To generate the other clock signals with different frequencies, a frequency synthesizer such as a delay locked loop circuit, for example, may be used. More particularly, delay locked loop circuits are commonly used as clock multipliers capable of generating clocks having frequencies that are multiples of the reference clock frequency. However depending on the application, conventional phase/frequency detection circuits may sometimes exhibit false lock conditions during which the delay locked loop circuit may lock onto an incorrect edge of the feedback clock. As a result, the output signal may be incorrect.

False lock detection mechanism for use in a delay locked loop circuit


A method and apparatus for electronic checklist display system. A checklist display device is connected to a number of display screens. A display screen within the number of display screens displays an integrated electronic checklist within a checklist display window on the display screen. The integrated electronic checklist comprises a number of checklist items associated with a vehicle system, systems information for the vehicle system, and graphics representing a current status of a number of components of the vehicle system.

1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to display systems and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for electronic checklist display systems. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for displaying electronic checklists with integrated systems information and graphics.
2. Background
A checklist is an information aid, typically in the form of a list of actions to be performed. Checklists may be utilized to assist with memory recall, verification, and performance improvement. Checklists may be used to verify that routine and non-routine tasks have been performed correctly.
Checklists may be maintained in a paper format. However, paper checklists may be difficult to update or modify. If checklist items are deferred for later performance, they may be forgotten. In addition, paper checklists do not provide an indication of checklist execution progress. Paper checklists may result in inefficiency due to the time required to locate the paper checklist, misreading the paper checklist, or misplacing the paper checklist.
An electronic checklist is a checklist presented to a user on a computing device or other display system rather than on paper. Electronic checklists may increase efficiency and reduce errors associated with paper checklists.
Current checklists typically only provide a brief identification of each task or action to be taken. A user may want to refer to other relevant information from another source that is more detailed or technical than the information available in a checklist. In such cases, a user may have to search one or more other sources for the relevant information prior to proceeding with performance of a checklist item.
For example, if a checklist item indicates adjusting a setting on a control panel, the user may have to locate synoptic information pages, other information identifying the correct settings, or identify other systems that may be impacted by changing those settings in a separate book, binder, or database of information.
Moreover, even if the user locates additional information to assist with completing the checklist item, that additional information may only provide a small portion of the information desired. In such cases, the user may expend additional time and effort searching.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above, as well as other potential issues not listed above.

Integrated electronic checklist display system


A vehicle body part rack, being used for placing a vehicle body part during assembly or post-treatment of the vehicle body part. The rack includes a base plate and vehicle body part supports arranged on the base plate. Each support has a head, and a supporting rod connected to the head and the base plate. The supporting rod is movable with respect to the base plate and the rack has lateral supports which are able to hold the vehicle body part and to rotate it.

Vehicle body parts, such as bumpers, car roof, tailgate, fenders and wheel covers, etc., must be handled very carefully to avoid any damages during the assembly process. These parts, which are visible by the user from the outside of the vehicle must remain intact after being assembled.
During the assembly, multiple kinds of operation are made on the vehicle parts, such as screwing or gluing the part with another one, drilling or assembling some elements with it. During these operations, the vehicle part must be supported to help the operator. The supporting device has to be adapted to support the part in a manner that it does not move when the operator works on it. Also, the supporting device must be able to support all along the surface of the part, so that the part does not bend when it is submitted to a localized stress. Moreover, the elements of the supporting device touching the vehicle part must be able to support it without leaving marks on it.
It is known to use vehicle body part racks to support the parts during assembling operation. Usually these racks are made for one specific vehicle body part, and for one specific position of the body part. For instance, it is used to support one model of bumper in one position. If operations have to be carried on each side of the part, two racks must be used, one for each required position of the body part. Also, it is necessary to use adapted racks for each model of vehicle part to be assembled. As a consequence, it is expensive to build or buy such a collection of racks for every produced part.
It is also known to use a specific support comprising a plurality of rods which move upward and stop when they touch the surface of the vehicle body part. As a consequence, this type of support adapts to the shape of the vehicle body part. Moreover, the multiple rods allow to have multiple contacts on the surface of the part, to distribute the strains on the part on all of its surface. A drawback of this device is that the operator has to remove the part form the support, to turn it manually and to reinstall the part on the support when he wants to work on the other side of the part. During this operation of turning the part around, the operator can by inadvertence knock the part on the environment of the support, which would leave a mark on it. Moreover, this step during the process takes time and generates tiredness for the operator.

Vehicle body part rack with lateral supports able to rotate the vehicle body part


The invention provides a stereoscopic display to display a high-quality three-dimensional video which can be viewed without using polarizing glasses. A stereoscopic display according to the present invention includes an electronically-formed, multi-viewpoint light beam group and an image-forming device to reproduce a conjugate image of the multi-viewpoint light beams. The stereoscopic display further includes a cylindrical, or partially cylindrical parallax barrier and a rotating light-emitting array as a multi-viewpoint-light-beam forming device. In addition, the stereoscopic display further includes a polarizing element and a polarization separation device to increase the display contrast. The numerical aperture of the rearmost optical element is preferably increased in order to increase the viewing area, and a reflective optical element with a large aperture is used as the image-forming device. The light-emitting array is formed of lightweight, thin-film light-emitting elements with which electronic rotational scanning is possible.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to parallax stereoscopic displays. More specifically, the invention relates to a stereoscopic display to display a color 3-dimensional moving image which can be viewed without using polarizing glasses or liquid crystal shutters.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conjugate-image-reproducing stereoscopic displays using concave mirrors or convex lenses, which are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,628,533, 3,647,284, and 5,508,763, can be used to display stereoscopic images easily.
The related art also includes stereoscopic displays known as "binocular type" displays. In addition, a display in which multi-viewpoint light beams are generated by rotational scanning so that an image can be seen from 360 degrees is disclosed in 3D Image Conference 1999, Paper No. 4—4.


This invention is directed to a compound having the formula I. ##STR1## This invention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound which inhibits serotonin N-acetyltransferase having the formula I and a pharmaceutical acceptable carrier. The present invention relates to novel compounds and analogs which inhibit the serotonin N-acetyltransferase enzyme, and to processes for their preparation.

This invention relates generally to novel compounds which inhibit the serotonin N-acetyltransferase enzyme, modulate the serotonin-melatonin pathway and various methods of use for the compounds of the invention.
The enzyme serotonin N-acetyltransferase, is responsible for the daily rhythmic cycle of melatonin in animals and man. Hormonal influences over circadian rhythm are currently poorly understood. While a wide array of hormones are known to cycle throughout the day, their precise roles in the physiology of the sleep/wake cycle have remained elusive. The hormone melatonin (5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine) is hypothesized to play an important role in the regulation of circadian rhythm. Discovered in 1917 as an extract of pineal gland which could lighten frog skin (1), melatonin's structure was not elucidated until 1959 by Aaron Lerner (2,3). Subsequently, its serum levels were found to cycle with diurnal periodicity, rising 10-100 times its daytime levels at night (FIG. 1) (4). What melatonin is really doing and how it is doing in both animals and man remain mysterious (5).
The circadian clocks in living organisms are thought to regulate basal body temperature, locomotor activity, sleep, eating behavior, and hormone production (5). In non-mammalian vertebrates, the pineal gland is the principal regulator of the circadian clock (6). In mammals including humans, the brain's suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is believed to contain the "master clock" with outputs to and inputs from the pineal gland (5-7). The current model is that the suprachiasmatic nucleus sends outputs via the noradrenergic pathway to regulate pineal gland activity and the SCN contains melatonin receptors which allow for pineal gland input (FIG. 2) (5).
Serotonin is the most abundant hormone produced in the pineal, and the pineal is its site of highest concentration in the brain (5,6). Serotonin is a hormone-neurotransmitter with hypothesized roles in physiologic processes such as sleep and in pathophysiologic conditions including depression, chronic pain, and migraine, and drug addiction (8). Three major classes of clinical anti-depressant agents are thought to achieve their effect by stimulating the serotonin pathway, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors (e.g. deprenyl), tricyclic antidepressants (e.g. imipramine), and serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (e.g. prozac) (8). It is not currently known to what extent pineal-derived serotonin contributes to serotonin's overall physiological effects in man.
Serotonin is a biosynthetic precursor of melatonin and the pineal is the principal source of melatonin in the body (5,6). Despite significant investigation, melatonin's physiologic roles are not yet well understood. Melatonin's primary function is suggested to be entrainment of circadian rhythm in response to changes in external light (5). In this role, melatonin would be important in temperature regulation, mood, and the sleep-wake cycle (5, 9, 10). Solid evidence has also been obtained for melatonin's role in reproductive fitness in mammals (11, 12). More speculative claims have been advanced concerning melatonin's possible roles in effecting the immune, cardiovascular, and gastro-intestinal systems and in playing a role in cancer, aging, anorexia, and psychiatric disorders (Table 1). There is relatively little hard experimental evidence to validate or refute these claims at present (25).
Studies involving pinealectomy and those involving exogenous melatonin administration to discern melatonin's function have been reasonably compelling in confirming melatonin's role in circadian rhythm regulation in mammals. Pinealectomized rats maintained in constant light show a major disruption in wheel-running activity compared to controls (26). Exogenous melatonin administration has been shown to cause phase shifting in rat activity as well as in humans (27, 28). An intact SCN appears necessary for melatonin's entrainment effects.
In keeping with melatonin's role as a central nervous system hormone, receptor binding sites have been reported in discrete regions of the mammalian brain. These binding sites were classified as G-protein coupled receptors on the basis of pertussis-toxin sensitive adenylyl cyclase inhibition and affinity modulation by guanine nucleotides (29). In the last 3-4 years, two mammalian melatonin receptors have been identified by expression cloning and shown to have expression patterns consistent with their predicted locations from hormone binding studies (30, 31). High concentrations of receptor nRNAs have been detected in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus and the hypophyseal pars tuberalis.
In addition, there are recent reports of intracellular receptors for melatonin. These receptors are "orphan" members of the steroid hormone/Zn-finer DNA binding family (32, 33). The K.sub.d of melatonin binding and activation appears to be considerably higher, 10-100 fold compared to that of the G-protein family, and their physiologic relevance is still unclear.
Melatonin is routinely purchased at over the counter drug and health-food stores and used by many individuals to attempt to relieve jet lag, insommia, loss of vitality with aging, problems with shift work, and affective disorders. The oral bioavailability in people is reportedly quite variable (25-fold range, refs. 5, 34). Even with the lower doses that are sold (5-10 mg), this can drive serum levels hundreds of times higher than physiologic night-time serum levels (ca 500 pM) Consequently, effects that are observed may be due to alternative signalling pathways than the normal endogenous melatonin-responsive pathways. While there are currently no reported toxic effects of pharmacologic melatonin dosing (300 mg/d, the melatonin content of about 1.5 million pineal glands is approved for clinical trials), the long-term effects of massive doses of melatonin are relatively unexplored (5).
The biosynthesis of melatonin begins with L-tryptophan (Table 2). This naturally occurring amino acid is present in the diet and uptake by the brain is dependent on specific transport mechanisms. The first step in melatonin biosynthesis is hydroxylation of the tryptophan indole ring at the 5-position to afford 5-hydroxytryptophan. This step is rate-limiting in serotonin production and is catalyzed by the mitochondrial enzyme non-heme iron monooxygenase, tryptophan hydroxylase (36). The second step leading to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) is catalyzed by the cytoplasmic enzyme aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (37). This pyridoxal-dependent enzyme effects decarboxylation of L-dopa as well as 5-hydroxytryptophan in a constitutive fashion in the pineal. The conversion of serotonin to N-acetylserotonin, the immediate precursor of melatonin is highly regulated in the pineal and is catalyzed by serotonin N-acetyltransferase (arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase, AANAT) (FIG. 3) (38). Daytime levels of AANAT are up to 100-fold lower than nighttime levels in mammalian pineal glands, and it is this enzyme which is essentially fully responsible for the nighttime surge in melatonin production and drop in pineal serotonin (FIG. 4) (39, 40). The enzyme is acetyl-CoA dependent, and unlike the other enzymes in the pathway, had eluded characterization until very recently because of its instability and low abundance (41, 42). The final enzyme in melatonin biosynthesis is hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT), a constitutive enzyme present in the pineal. HIOMT utilizes S-adenosylmethionine to effect O-methylation of the 5-hydroxy function of N-acetylserotonin (43). This enzymatic step appears to be minimally regulated and in most circumstances is not rate-limiting for melatonin production (5, 40).
AANAT activity was discovered in the early 1960's by Julius Axelrod (44). In 1970, Klein and Weller showed that this enzyme activity was regulated in a day/night cycle in the pineal gland and was primarily responsible for the day/night rhythm of melatonin (FIG. 4) (39, 40). Later, the enzyme was shown to be different from arylamine N-acetyltransferase, which is also present in the pineal (38). Because of its low abundance and instability, few mechanistic studies on the enzyme have been reported. Unlike the other enzymes involved in melatonin biosynthesis, no potent or specific inhibitors of AANAT have been reported.
In 1995, AANAT was cloned after many years of effort (41, 42). It is a 24 kDa (207 amino acids in length) protein with amino acid sequence highly conserved from chicken to man, showing>80% amino acid identity between species (45, 46). Although AANAT shows little homology to other genes in the data bank, it does contain 2 short C-terminal regions (ca. 10-20 aa each) called motifs A (amino acids 121-140) and B (amino acids 165-177) which mark AANAT as a member of a superfamily of proteins (>150 members so far identified, E. Koonin, NIH, private communication) that are believed to be largely composed of acetyl-CoA dependent transferase (45). Included in this family appear to be at least one member (PCAF) of the histone acetyltransferases (HATs) involved in the regulation of gene transcription (50). Very little is known about the substrate selectivity, mechanism, or inhibition of this enzyme family.

Inhibitors of sorotonin N-acetyltransferase


There is provided a technique for transforming a confusion network to a representation that can be used as an input for machine learning. A confusion network distributed representation sequence generating part that generates a confusion network distributed representation sequence, which is a vector sequence, from an arc word set sequence and an arc weight set sequence constituting the confusion network is included. The confusion network distributed representation sequence generating part comprises: an arc word distributed representation set sequence transforming part that, by transforming an arc word included in the arc word set to a word distributed representation, obtains an arc word distributed representation set and generates an arc word distributed representation set sequence; and an arc word distributed representation set weighting/integrating part that generates the confusion network distributed representation sequence from the arc word distributed representation set sequence and the arc weight set sequence.

In a spoken dialogue system, it is common to estimate an utterance intention or an utterance act from a result of speech recognition about a user's speech and decide an action of a system based on the estimation result. This estimation of an utterance intention and an utterance act is realized by configuring a class classifier that classifies text that is a word sequence into a certain class. For example, in the case of estimation of an utterance act, it is a problem of estimating a label of "question", with text "Do you sell juice here?" as an input. Performance of this class classifier has a great influence on whether a smooth spoken dialogue is possible or not.
As a main method for configuring such a class classifier, there is a method in which pieces of text (word sequences) paired with labels to be classification destinations (hereinafter referred to as class labels) are prepared, and a class classifier is configured by machine learning. In the case of handling the problem described above, it becomes possible to learn a class classifier by preparing a large amount of learning data in which one class label is attached to each piece of text (each word sequence). For example, it is possible to learn a class classifier by preparing learning data in which a class label is attached to each of 100000 pieces of text.
As a method for precisely learning the class classifier, deep learning technology is useful. There have been proposed some methods using deep learning. As representative methods, there are a method using a recurrent neural network (RNN) (Non-patent literature 1) and a method using a convolutional neural network (CNN) (Non-patent literature 2).
A class classifier using RNN and a class classifier using CNN are almost the same. That is, by transforming each word in text (a word sequence) to be an input, to a word vector called a word distributed representation, transforming a word distributed representation sequence, which is a sequence of the word vector, to a fixed-length real-valued vector using RNN or CNN and inputting the real-valued vector to a discriminant function, a class classifier can be realized.
The following is more detailed description of the above. When w1, w2, . . . , wT is assumed to be a word sequence of input text, a class classifier estimates a class label by executing such processing as below.ωt=EMBEDDING(wt)h=NN(ω1,ω2, . . . ,ωT)P=DISCRIMINATE(h)  [Formula 1]
Here, ωt(1≤t≤T) denotes a word distributed representation (a word vector) of a word wt; h denotes a fixed-length real-valued vector obtained by transforming a word distributed representation sequence (ω1, ω2, . . . , ωT; and P denotes probability distribution indicating a posterior probability corresponding to each class.
Here, EMBEDDING(•) is a function of transforming a word to a word vector of a predetermined dimensionality; and EMBEDDING(•) is indicated, for example, as a linear transformation function. Note that EMBEDDING(•) is not limited to linear transformation but may be any function if the function has a similar function.
Here, NN(•) is a function of transforming a real-valued vector sequence to a fixed-length real-valued vector. As NN(•), for example, RNN or CNN can be used. Note that NN(•) is not limited to RNN or CNN but may be any function if the function has a similar function.
Here, DISCRIMINATE(•) is a function for calculating a posterior probability corresponding to each class from a fixed-length vector. As DISCRIMINATE(•), for example, a softmax function can be used.
At the time of estimating a class label, a class with the highest probability in the probability distribution P is estimated as a class label of the input text.

Confusion network distributed representation generation apparatus, confusion network classification apparatus, confusion network distributed representation generation method, confusion network classification method and program

NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION


Disclosed is a graphically-modeled painting brush that has a shaft and one or more elastic bristles attached at the bottom of the shaft.

For painting in the computer, two-dimensional patterns on computer screen controlled by the mouse or a stylus pen have hitherto been used, which is unnatural and inconvenient in that the user cannot see bristles of the brush while he/she is drawing. Present invention was made to provide a more natural and convenient painting tool.

Ikki-machi, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima 965-0001


Methods and systems for identifying a virus in breast ducts are provided. In addition, antiviral therapy for treating a virally infected breast duct is also provided. Patients with a viral infection identified in the breast ducts may be at risk for developing breast precancer or cancer.

Viruses are believed to act as etiologic agents of some cancers. For example, human papilloma virus has long been linked epidemiologically to cervical cancer. See McPhee et al, Pathophysiology of Disease 3rd edition 2000 (chapter 5, page 80) Lange Medical Books/McGraw Hill, New York, N.Y.; and see Manos et al, JAMA 1999; 281: 1605-1610. Other studies document that Papilloma virus is associated with an increased risk in getting breast cancer. Studies published in Haagensen et al, Ann Surg, 1951; 133:18-36 documented a 3.3 fold increase in risk; Pellettierre et al, Am J Clin Path; 1971; 55: 740-748 found a 7.4 fold increase in risk. Buhl-Jorgensen et al Surg. Gynecol Obstet 1968; 127:1307-1312; Kilgore et al Surg. Gynecol Obstet 1953; 96:649-660; and Moore et al Surg. Gynecol Obstet 1961; 112:153-158 document collectively an 8% incidence of carcinomas during a 16 year period after identifying papillomas. The serotypes of papilloma virus most often linked to cancer have recently been found to encode for proteins that can bind and inactivate host tumor suppressor gene products. In this situation, a causative gene is not necessarily introduced by the virus, but the viral genome is able to direct the inactivation of tumor suppressor gene products and thereby favor growth and proliferation as well as malignant potential. See McPhee et al, Pathophysiology of Disease 3rd edition 2000 (chapter 5, page 80) Lange Medical Books/McGraw Hill, New York, N.Y. Additionally, Epstein-Barr virus has been implicated in lymphoma and breast adenocarcinoma.
It would be advantageous to identify viral agents in breast duct fluid of a patient in order to anticipate a breast precancer or cancer risk. Such identification can also provide guidance in selecting subsequent specific prophylactic and therapeutic treatments. The present invention provides these and other benefits.

Identification of viral agents in breast ducts and antiviral therapy therefore


An antenna device includes: a pair of first elements that are arranged on a first plane; and a pair of second elements that are arranged on a second plane parallel to the first plane such that a polarized wave direction of the pair of second elements is orthogonal to that of the pair of first elements. Each element of the pair of first elements and the pair of second elements includes a portion that acts as a self-similarity antenna or an antenna that acts based on similar operating principle to the self-similarity antenna. In one embodiment, each element of the pair of first elements and the pair of second elements includes two arms that extend in a direction away from each other from a proximal end portion to which a feed point is connectable.

In recent years, there has been increasing demand for conducting multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication using a frequency band of long term evolution (LTE) or the fifth generation mobile communication system (5G) for vehicles carrying electronic equipment. The MIMO is a communication mode that uses plural antennas to transmit different data from each antenna and receive data simultaneously by the plural antennas. A MIMO antenna device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is known as an antenna device enabling such a communication mode.
The MIMO antenna device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes plural antennas, that is, a balanced antenna and an unbalanced antenna that are accommodated in a shark fin antenna housing having 100 mm long, 50 mm wide, and 45 mm high. The unbalanced antenna is constituted by a rectangular planar etching formed of polychlorinated biphenyl. The balanced antenna includes two symmetrical planar L-shaped arms that face each other.


An electric power control apparatus enables a surplus electric power from a distributed power source to be stored in a storage battery in a consumer unit provided with a distributed power source and a storage battery. The electric power control apparatus is characterized in being provided with a compensation calculating unit which calculates the compensation of electric power by using a unit price of electricity for sale when charging the storage battery and a unit price of electricity for purchase when discharging from the storage battery.

In recent years, power generation devices such as a photovoltaic power generation device, a fuel cell, a wind power generation device and a cogeneration device are used in power consumer dwellings such as houses, factories and the like. In addition, there is practically available a grid connection system in which power generation devices are connected to an electrical grid of a commercial power source and to be used as distributed power sources. In the grid connection system, if the electricity power generated by the distributed power sources cannot be entirely consumed in a consumer dwelling, the surplus electric power is allowed to be reversely fed to an electrical grid of a commercial power source. In a case where the electric power is reversely fed to the electrical grid, it is sometimes possible to receive compensation corresponding to the amount of the reversely-fed electric power from a power supplier that supplies electric power as a commercial power source.
However, if the reverse power feeding is performed in the event that the distributed power sources are connected to the electrical grid, a voltage rise, a frequency change and a phase advance in the electrical grid may possibly occur. In particular, these kinds of phenomena easily occur when the number of distributed power sources connected to an electrical grid sharing a pole transformer with the distributed power sources gets increased. Moreover, the voltage of the electrical grid is more likely to rise as the distance from the pole transformer to the distributed power sources grows longer.
In order to avoid the aforementioned problem posed when the distributed power sources are connected to the electrical grid, it is obligated to provide a function by which output control is performed as the voltage of the electrical grid rises during the reverse power feeding. There is proposed a technique in which a voltage triggering output control is set higher as the distance from a pole transformer to distributed power sources grows longer (see, e.g., Japanese Patent No. 4266003 (JP4266003B).
The aforementioned phenomena are monitored by the distributed power sources. If the phenomena occur more heavily than a specified degree, the reverse power feeding from the distributed power sources to the electrical grid is restrained to thereby reduce the influence on the electrical grid. In the technique disclosed in JP4266003B, the voltage triggering output control is set differently depending on the distance from the pole transformer to the distributed power sources so that the opportunities for the distributed power sources to perform the reverse power feeding to the electrical grid can be impartially distributed to the respective distributed power sources. In other words, the opportunities for the distributed power sources to sell a surplus power can be impartially allotted to the distributed power sources regardless of the distance from the pole transformer to the distributed power sources.
In the technique disclosed in JP4266003B, threshold values are set at the voltage triggering output control. The threshold values are adjusted depending on the impedance from the pole transformer to the distributed power sources, thereby reducing the imbalance in the opportunities for the reverse power feeding to the electrical grid. Therefore, if the number of distributed power sources connected to the secondary side of the pole transformer grows larger in a crowded area of houses, the difference between the threshold values which are set with respect to the adjoining distributed power sources becomes smaller. This requires high accuracy in setting the threshold values.
In order to set the threshold values stated above, it is necessary to calculate the impedance between the pole transformer and the distributed power sources connected to the secondary side of the pole transformer. For that reason, when installing the distributed power sources, it is necessary to acquire the information on the topology of distribution networks, the distance of wiring lines and the kind of wiring lines. It is also necessary to acquire the information on the specifications of the distributed power sources. In other words, there is a need to manage an increase amount of information. This leads to an increase in data management costs.
As set forth above, the technique disclosed in JP4266003B poses a problem in that it cannot be implemented under the condition that the number of the distributed power sources connected to the secondary side of the pole transformer is large and the distances between the adjoining distributed power sources and the electric circuit of the electrical grid are short.
If the control for restraining the reverse power feeding is performed depending on the circumstances of the electrical grid as stated above, the reverse power feeding to the electrical grid cannot be carried out even when surplus power is generated in a consumer dwelling. In other words, the consumer dwelling cannot receive compensation resulting from the reverse power feeding and, therefore, may suffer from an economic loss. As a result, the recovery period of the capital invested in installation of the distributed power sources is prolonged and the cost-effectiveness is reduced. This is one of causes weakening the motivation to adopt the distributed power source.
The reason for performing the output control of the distributed power source is that electric power is reversely fed from the distributed power source to the electrical grid. Therefore, it appears that the problem attributable to the output control of the distributed power source can be solved by reducing the reverse power feeding from the distributed power source to the electrical grid. As a technique for reducing the reverse power feeding from the distributed power source to the electrical grid, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-268247 (JP2009-268247A) discloses a method of using a battery in combination with a distributed power source. In the technique disclosed in JP2009-268247A, the moving average of the electric power amount in the past reverse power feeding is used as a target value of the electric power amount to be subjected to the reverse power feeding, thereby reducing the peak value per unit time of the electric power amount when performing the reverse power feeding.
The use of the technique disclosed in JP2009-268247A makes it possible for the battery to store the electric power not to be subjected to the reverse power feeding. This reduces the economic loss suffered by a consumer dwelling, as compared with a case where the output control of the distributed power source is performed.
However, there occurs an economic loss corresponding to the difference between the unit power price at the time of performing the reverse power feeding to the electrical grid and the power purchase price at the time of discharging and using the charged electric power. Now, it is assumed that the unit power price in case of reversely feeding electric power to the electrical grid is 48 yen/kWh and further that the unit power price in case of receiving electric power from the electrical grid is 28 yen/kWh. In that case, a profit of 48 yen per kWh is generated if the reverse power feeding is performed. Therefore, if the expense of 28 yen is subtracted from 48 yen, the actual profit becomes 20 yen. In the configuration of JP2009-268247A, the electric power of the battery storing the electric power generated in the distributed power source is discharged and used. For that reason, the expense of 28 yen per kWh becomes unnecessary. Since, however, the reverse power feeding is not performed, no profit is generated. Therefore, as compared with a case where the reverse power feeding is performed, a loss of 20 yen per kWh is incurred.
JP2009-268247A describes that the electric power amount reversely fed to the electrical grid is measured and the value obtained by equally allotting the measured electric power amount to the distributed power sources of all the consumers is regarded as an upper limit value when each of the consumers performs the reverse power feeding. However, there exists a difference in the electric power generated by the respective distributed power sources. In addition, the consumer dwellings consume different amounts of electric power. This means that there exists a difference in the surplus powers of the respective consumer dwellings. For that reason, if the measured electric power amount is equally allotted to the distributed power sources, the consumer dwelling having a larger amount of surplus power suffers a greater loss.

Electric power control apparatus and grid connection system having same

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.


Optical waveguides made of quartz glass with reduced infrared absorption and reduced attenuation coefficients are made of glass material composed of atoms having mass numbers higher than that of the natural isotope distribution. The quartz glass or doped quartz glass is made of silicon atoms, of which most or all have the mass numbers 29 and/or 30, as well as of oxygen atoms, of which most or all are composed of isotopes with the mass numbers 17 and/or 18. Atoms of the 76Ge isotope are preferably used for doping with germanium atoms having higher mass numbers than in the natural isotope mixture. Glass with atoms of preferably 30Si and/or 18O are preferably used for optical waveguides based on quartz glass having attenuation coefficients below 0.15 dB/km. As indicated, such optical waveguides are also suitable for transmitting high-energy, pulsed or continuous laser light in a wavelength range from 2.0 to 3.0 xcexcm. These optical waveguides are also suitable for transmitting holmium laser light at 2.1 xcexcm and Er laser light with a wavelength of 2.79 and 2.94 xcexcm.

The present invention relates to glass for optical waveguides or the like.
Optical waveguides are being increasingly used as transmission lines in telecommunications networks. In addition, optical waveguides are finding increasing use in medicine, sensor technology and for the transmission of high optical powers for the machining of materials. For telecommunications, use appears to be made predominantly of single-mode fibers made of silica glass with a core that is approximately 10 xcexcm in diameter and a cladding with a lower refractive index and a diameter of 125 xcexcm. Some optical waveguides are made of silica glass and are characterized by high transmission capacity and low attenuation. At the minimum attenuation given a wavelength of 1.57 xcexcm, values of approx. 0.20 dB/km are obtained. In 1986, the reference by G. Tanaka et al., xe2x80x9cCharacteristics of Pure Silica Core Single Mode Optical Fiberxe2x80x9d, Sumitomo Electric Technical Review 26(1987)43, refers to an optimum value of 0.15 dB/km.
The reference Patent Abstracts of Japan: JP-A-60090845, purportedly describes a gas rinsing with helium and deuterium during the vitrification of porous SiO2 (silica glass) and GeO2-doped silica glass is described. The helium reduces the structure defects in the silica glass during this process and thereupon completely passes off. Deuterium is a hydrogen isotope and expels hydrogen atoms from the material, so that OD-groups instead of OH-groups form in the preform. OH-groups, which can be deemed as impurity in concentrations of less than 0.0001% in silica glass, cause absorption bands in the infrared wavelength range. When hydrogen is replaced by deuterium, the absorption bands shift to longer wavelengths. In this manner, ranges which are important, for example, for optical telecommunications and have additional losses due to the OH absorption, are then free from additional absorption. This technology is costly and has not gained acceptance in practice, because meanwhile, the fiber manufacturers reduce the OH concentration in the silica glass to the extent that the OH absorption virtually plays no role any longer.
In addition, in the reference Database, Chemical Abstracts: Accession No. 81:44002, a silica glass doped with 29Si is apparently described generally.
The attenuation xcex1 of single-mode fibers above a wavelength of 1 xcexcm is composed of three components. These are the scattering xcex1s, the OH absorption xcex1OH and the infrared absorption xcex1IR. The OH absorption is due to the inclusion of a small concentration of OH ions in the silica glass. It is very highly dependent on the wavelength and manifests itself in the spectral attenuation curve by an absorption band at approximately 1.4 xcexcm. In the wavelength range of importance for optical telecommunications between 1.5 and 1.7 xcexcm, the attenuation is virtually determined only by the scattering losses and the infrared absorption. The scattering losses are due essentially to Rayleigh scattering and decrease with increasing wavelength xcex with 1/xcex4. The infrared absorption starts at around 1.5 xcexcm and rises steeply with increasing wavelength. The minimum attenuation is at 1.57 xcexcm, because this is where the decrease of the scattering losses and the increase of the infrared absorption are of identical magnitude.
FIG. 1 shows the described situation with reference to the spectral attenuation curve of a single-mode fiber for the wavelength range between 1.1 and 1.7 xcexcm. The OH absorption band at 1.4 xcexcm is clearly evident. At its minimum at 1.57 xcexcm, this fiber has an attenuation of 0.17 dB/km. The characteristic curve of the scattering losses without OH and infrared absorption is shown by the broken line. OH absorption plays virtually no role for the wavelengths above 1.5 xcexcm. Starting from around 1.6 xcexcm, there is then a steep rise in infrared absorption. The reference by M. E. Lines et al., xe2x80x9cCalcium Aluminate Glasses As Potential Ultralow-Loss Optical Materials At 1.5-1.9 xcexcmxe2x80x9d, Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids 107(1989)251, purportedly describes that infrared absorption is calculated according to the formula xcex1IR=Axc2x7exe2x88x92a/1. In this context, A=6xc2x710xe2x80x2 dB/km and a=48 xcexcm is given for silica glass. An infrared absorption of 0.02 dB/km and 0.33 dB/km is calculated therefrom for 1.55 xcexcm and 1.7 xcexcm, respectively. The infrared absorption in glasses is caused by the tails of extremely strong vibration bands (phonons) in the long-wave infrared range, as purportedly described by the reference by S. Kobayashi et al., xe2x80x9cCharacteristics of Optical Fibers in Infrared Wavelength Regionxe2x80x9d, Review of Electrical Communications Laboratories 26,3-4(1978)453. The dominant absorption band of pure silica glass is at 9.1 xcexcm and has, at its maximum, an attenuation of 1010 dB/km. The spectral position and width of the absorption band are determined by the masses of the atoms involved, i.e., in the case of silica glass, by the masses of silicon and oxygen. The basic physical principles of this are purportedly presented in detail in the reference by T. Ruf et. al.: xe2x80x9cVon Federn und Massen: Physik isotopenreiner Halbleiterxe2x80x9d (xe2x80x9cOf Springs and Masses the Physics of Isotropically Pure Semiconductorsxe2x80x9d), Physikalische Blxc3xa4tter 52,11(1996)1115. For pure and doped silica glass, which to date has been employed for the manufacture of optical waveguides, use is made of natural isotope mixtures of the elements involved, i.e., silicon and oxygen in the case of pure silica glass. Germanium and fluorine are mainly used as dopants.
An object of the present invention is to provide glass with reduced infrared absorption, the glass being especially suitable for optical waveguides with significantly reduced, minimal attenuation coefficients and for effective manufacture.
The present invention provides an optical waveguide comprising a glass material including pure or doped silica glass, the pure or doped silica glass including atoms of at least one element, respective atoms of a first element of the at least one element having a mass number distribution more heavily weighted toward higher mass numbers than a natural mass number distribution of isotopes of the first element.
Owing to the fact that glass is made up of atoms with mass numbers higher than the mass numbers of the natural isotope distribution, the increased mass numbers (atomic masses) result in a shift of the absorption bands toward longer wavelengths and in a reduction of the line width. These two effects mean that the start of infrared absorption is shifted toward longer wavelengths, with the result that there is a considerably broader spectrum of application for optical waveguides or the like made from such glasses. The costs of the optical waveguides account for only a small portion of the total costs, especially in the case of elaborately manufactured submarine, or undersea, cables. Owing to the reduced attenuation of the optical waveguides according to the invention, it is thus possible to economize on or entirely dispense with repeaters/amplifiers, the result being that, in many cases, despite increased fiber costs, there are, overall, considerable cost savings with improved transmission quality in the construction of submarine cable links or for trunk cables over land.

Glass for optical waveguides or the like


Disclosed herein is a method for inhibiting and retarding the premature polymerization and the polymer growth of vinyl aromatic monomers wherein the method comprises adding to said monomers an effective amount of an inhibitor and retarder blend comprising:                (A) at least one aromatic sulfonic acid;        (B) at least one amine;        (C) at least one nitrophenol; and        (D) at least one member of the group consisting of nitroxy radical-containing compounds and nitrosoanilines.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to the inhibition and retardation of the polymerization of vinyl aromatic monomers by means of the addition thereto of combinations of aromatic sulfonic acids, amines, and nitrophenols with nitroxyl radical-containing compounds or C-nitrosoanilines.
2. Description of Related Art
Many ethylenically unsaturated monomers undesirably polymerize at various stages of their manufacture, processing, handling, storage, and use. Polymerization, such as thermal polymerization, during their purification results in the loss of the monomer, i.e., a lower yield, and an increase in the viscosity of any tars that may be produced. The processing and handling of the higher viscosity tars then require higher temperature and work (energy cost) to remove residual monomer.
Polymerization can also result in equipment fouling, especially in the case of production of acrylic monomers. Such polymerization causes loss in production efficiency owing to the deposition of polymer in or on the equipment being used. These deposits must be removed from time to time, leading to additional loss in production of the monomer.
A wide variety of compounds has been proposed and used for inhibiting uncontrolled and undesired polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers. However, many of these compounds have not been fully satisfactory.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,867,672 discloses that the polymerization of uninhibited styrene condensing in liquid form on the surfaces containing the vapor space above the liquid level of the main body of styrene in a tank may be minimized by spraying the surfaces enclosing the vapor space with a styrene polymerization inhibitor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,147 discloses a process for the distillation of readily polymerizable vinyl aromatic compounds comprising subjecting a vinyl aromatic compound to elevated temperatures in a distillation system in the presence of a polymerization inhibitor comprising m-nitro-p-cresol.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,343 discloses a compound and a process for utilizing the compound to prevent the polymerization of vinyl aromatic compounds, such as styrene, during heating. The composition includes effective amounts of 2,6-dinitro-p-cresol and either a phenylenediamine or 4-tert-butylcatechol respectively, to act as a polymerization co-inhibitor system in the presence of oxygen.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,670,131 discloses controlling the fouling of equipment used for processing of organic feed streams containing olefinic compounds by inhibiting polymerization of the olefinic compounds by carrying out the processing in the presence of from about 20 ppb to less than 1000 ppb of a stable free radical, such as a nitroxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,254,760 discloses the inhibition of the polymerization of a vinyl aromatic compound, such as styrene, during distillation or purification by the presence of at least one stable nitroxyl compound together with at least one aromatic nitro compound.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,888 discloses a process for stabilizing an ethylenically unsaturated monomer or oligomer from premature polymerization whereby a stabilizing amount of an N-hydroxy substituted hindered amine is added to said polymerizable monomer or oligomer. The ethylenically unsaturated monomer or oligomer encompass vinyl monomers or oligomers bearing at least one polymerizable moiety. The N-hydroxy substituted hindered amine is said to inhibit premature polymerization in the liquid and/or vapor phase.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,446,220 discloses methods for inhibiting the polymerization of vinyl aromatic monomers in oxygen-free processing systems. These methods comprise adding from 1 to about 10,000 parts per million parts monomer of a combination of a dinitrophenol compound, a hydroxylamine compound and a phenylenediamine compound. Preferably, 2-sec-butyl-4,6-dinitrophenol or 4,6-dinitro-o-cresol are used in combination with bis-(hydroxypropyl)hydroxylamine and N,N′-di-sec-butyl-p-phenylenediamine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,786 discloses that nitroxyl inhibitors in combination with some oxygen reduce the premature polymerization of vinyl aromatic monomers during the manufacturing processes for such monomers. It is also disclosed that even small quantities of air used in combination with the nitroxyl inhibitors result in vastly prolonged inhibition times for said monomers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,932,735 discloses that selected derivatives of 1-oxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-hydroxypiperidine are effective as inhibitors to prevent the premature polymerization of acrylic and methacrylic acids, their esters, their amides, vinyl acetate and acrylonitrile in the presence of water.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,205 discloses a mixture for inhibiting the premature polymerization of monomers that contains (A) vinyl-containing monomers, and (B) an effective amount of a mixture of (i) from 0.05 to 4.5% by weight, based on the total mixture (B), of at least one N-oxyl compound of a secondary amine which carries no hydrogen atoms on the α-carbon atoms and (ii) from 99.95 to 95.5% by weight, based on the total mixture (B), of at least one nitro compound.
Russian patents 1,027,150; 1,139,722; and 1,558,888 disclose decreased polymer formation during normal operating conditions (true inhibitors), but do not protect the system in emergency feed shut off situations, i.e., there is no retarder effect.
The foregoing are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Aromatic sulfonic acids, amines and nitrophenols in combination with nitroxyl radical-containing compounds or C-nitrosoanilines as polymerization inhibitors


A paper feed cassette incorporates a storage portion for standard-sized paper and a storage portion for small-sized paper that has an area smaller than the standard-sized paper, further includes paper conveyance paths for guiding the standard-sized paper and small-sized paper from the respective storage portions to an image forming portion, and these paper conveyance paths share a common vertical portion.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper feed structure for use in an image forming apparatus such as a copier, printer facsimile machine, etc., which performs image forming by selectively feeding and conveying paper sheet by sheet from a stack of paper stored at the bottom of the apparatus, transferring an unfixed developer image onto the paper that is fed at a higher position, fusing and fixing the unfixed developer image to the paper at a further higher position, and discharging the paper after fixing upwards or sidewards.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Conventional image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, etc., perform an image forming process comprising the steps of: developing the electrostatic latent image of an original image, written or formed on the photoreceptor drum, with a developer; transferring the developer image to a sheet of paper (recording paper) fed from a paper feed cassette; fixing the developer image thus transferred to the recording paper, by fusing and pressing while nipping it between a heat roller and pressing roller; and discharging the paper.
In this image forming process, multiple kinds of recording paper are used. Of these various kinds of recording paper, postcard paper that is small-sized and thick (usually having a basis weight of 128 g/m2) is not used in a large amount. For this reason, there is not much demand for products with a dedicated paper feed tray for postcard paper, so usually postcard paper is fed through a manual paper feeder mechanism that is separately configured from the paper feed portion with paper feed trays.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Hei 4-327446 (Patent document 1) discloses an image forming apparatus that uses a manual paper feeder mechanism. Typically, as described in this patent document 1 a paper conveyance path for a manual paper feeder mechanism is laid out so as to join into the paper conveyance path from the cassettes, at a position before an idle roller for controlling the timing at which paper is delivered to the photoreceptor drum.
Recently, image forming apparatuses having a compact design configuration, front access (meaning a configuration in which almost all control operations of image forming can be made from the front side of the machine) and a buildup system have been developed.
Illustratively, the image forming apparatus includes: a paper feeder that stores paper at the bottom of the apparatus and selectively delivers paper, sheet by sheet, from the paper stored therein; a printing portion for transferring the toner image, which was formed by developing an electrostatic latent image (written by laser beam) on a photoreceptor drum, to the fed paper; a fixing portion for fusing and fixing the unfixed developer image onto the paper; and a paper discharge portion for discharging the paper with the developer image fused and fixed thereon, to a space above the fixing portion or to the side-wall portion of the apparatus.
Nowadays, many kinds of image forming apparatuses have been developed which have a paper feed portion, a printing portion, a fixing portion, a paper discharge portion and an original reading portion arranged one over another from bottom to top of the apparatus.
The image forming apparatus of this type employs a conveying system that has an essentially vertical paper feed path along which recording paper is conveyed upward from the paper feed portion. It is common practice that the aforementioned manual paper feeder mechanism is arranged at a position between the paper feed portion and the printing portion on the exterior of the apparatus.
The path of the paper that is conveyed from the manual paper feed mechanism of this type needs to join to the aforementioned paper conveyance path directed upward, at a position before the printing portion (before the idle roller), so the manually fed paper has to pass through a conveyance path that has a markedly large curvature, compared to the aforementioned conveyance path.
When small-sized sheets such as postcard paper, etc., being thick, hence high in rigidity, are fed to the conveyance path from this manual feeder mechanism, the paper of this kind may stagnate in the conveyance path and may cause the so-called jam problem (jam: paper becomes stuck and unable to move).
The same problem will occur when, other than postcard paper, special thick paper (having a basis weight of 128 g/m2 to 250 g/m2) that is thicker than usual paper (having a basis weight of about 50 to 100 g/m2, for example) is used.

Paper feed structure for an image forming apparatus


The present invention discloses an apparatus and a method for extracting a component in a solid by using nano-bubbles, the apparatus including a reaction container configured to hold a solid to be extracted, a nano-bubble generating device configured to generate a liquid containing nano-bubbles, and an energy generator, wherein the liquid containing nano-bubbles is used to be mixed with the solid to be extracted, and the energy generator is used to emit energy to the reaction container to burst the nano-bubbles and enhance the extraction effect of the solid in the liquid.

A method of extracting a component in a solid includes extracting coffee powder, Chinese, Western and Japanese tea powders, herbal tea, etc., to make a beverage. A general method in the market is to put a solid powder into a container, pour an appropriate amount of water, stir manually or stir by mechanical devices, and then soak for a period of time (usually 12 to 24 hours) to bring components such as vitamin C, polyphenolic antioxidants, and caffeine in the solid into the water to complete the extraction process to prepare a beverage containing the aforementioned components. However, this method usually does not extract sufficient components, resulting in a poor taste of the beverage.
Therefore, the prior art needs further development and progress.

Apparatus and method for extracting component in solid by using nanobubbles


In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus operable to facilitate optical signal processing includes a micro-electro-optic system (MEMS) device having a moveable mirror layer operable to receive a first copy of an input signal from a beam splitter and to reflect the first copy of the input signal for combination with a second copy of the input signal at an output to form an output signal. The moveable mirror layer being displaceable in a substantially piston-like motion to introduce a phase shift between the first and second signal copies at the output. The amplitude of the output signal varying depending on the displacement of the moveable mirror layer.

The present invention relates to the field of communication systems, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for high speed optical signal processing.
Various apparatus exist for performing attenuation, switching, add/drop multiplexing, phase shifting, mitigation of polarization mode dispersion, and various other signal processing functions. For example, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) have been developed, which implement moveable mirror structures that change position to affect a change in the optical signals being communicated. One such device implements the motion of alternate adjacent mirrors to create a grating effect that causes various levels of diffraction of the signals being processed. Depending on the level of signal diffraction, some signal processing functions, such as attenuation, can be performed. A problem with this approach, however, is that conventional diffraction-based solutions employing zeroth order reflection suffer from poor contrast ratios due to significant losses inherent in the operation of those devices.
Another MEMS approach involves using a movable mirror disposed outwardly from a substantially transmissive substrate to create a Fabry-Perot interference cavity between the two. These devices depend on multiple signal reflections within the interference cavity. As a result, small changes in signal wavelength can have a large impact on the operational characteristics of the device, resulting in a sharp spectral dependence. In addition, these devices typically require a tradeoff between device bandwidth and contrast ratio. As a result, these devices are generally incapable of offering both large bandwidth and good contrast ratios. Moreover, some of these devices operate at speeds too slow for particular signal processing operations. Others can be difficult to fabricate, rendering them too expensive for many applications.
The present invention recognizes a need for a method and apparatus operable to economically provide various optical signal processing functions, while maintaining high speed and good contrast ratios. In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus and method for providing high speed optical signal processing are provided that substantially reduce or eliminate at least some of the shortcomings associated with prior approaches.
In one aspect of the invention, an apparatus operable to facilitate optical signal processing comprises a micro-electro-optic system (MEMS) device including a moveable mirror layer operable to receive a first copy of an input signal from a beam splitter and to reflect the first copy of the input signal for combination with a second copy of the input signal at an output to form an output signal. The moveable mirror layer being displaceable in a substantially piston-like motion to introduce a phase shift between the first and second signal copies at the output. The amplitude of the output signal varying depending on the displacement of the moveable mirror layer.
In another aspect of the invention, a signal processing device comprises a beam splitter operable to receive an optical input signal and communicate at least two copies of the input signal in at least two directions. The device further comprises a plurality of reflective surfaces, each operable to receive one of the signal copies and to reflect the copies for ultimate combination at an output to form an output signal. At least one of the reflective surfaces comprises a moveable mirror layer of a first micro-electro-optic system (MEMS) device, the moveable mirror layer operable to experience a substantially piston-like motion to change its position relative to the first beam splitter, the change in position causing a phase shift between the signal copies and a corresponding interference between the signal copies at the output, the amplitude of the output signal operable to vary depending on the position of the moveable mirror.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a method of optical signal processing comprises receiving an optical input signal at an input and communicating a first copy of the input signal toward a first reflective surface and a second copy of the input signal toward second reflective surface, at least one of the reflective surfaces comprising a moveable mirror layer of a first micro-electro-optic system (MEMS) device. The method also includes reflecting the first and second signal copies toward an output and combining components of the reflected first and second signal copies to form at least one optical output signal. The method still further comprises displacing the moveable mirror layer in a substantially piston-like motion to result in an interference between the first and second signal copies at the output and a corresponding change in the amplitude of the output signal relative to the amplitude of the input signal.
Depending on the specific features implemented, particular embodiments of the present invention may exhibit some, none, or all of the following technical advantages. One aspect of the present invention provides highly reliable methods and apparatus capable of facilitating high speed optical signal processing at low costs. One aspect of the invention maintains high contrast ratios, while providing a device architecture that can be inexpensively produced, and reproduced to most any scale.
Various aspects of the invention provide advantages in terms of efficiency and speed of operation. For example, in one embodiment, the invention utilizes multiple moving mirrors to minimize the displacement required on any particular mirror. Still another option allows for mirrors located at grazing angles to the optical signals of less than forty-five degrees, which still further lessens the required mirror displacement needed to achieve a desired phase difference. By reducing each mirror""s necessary displacement, each of these options increases the efficiency of the invention by increasing the speed of the device, and reducing the drive voltage used to displace each mirror. Furthermore, any one or more of these and other features can be combined to further enhance the efficiency of the invention.
In one embodiment of the invention, a novel moveable mirror structure provides additional advantages in its efficiency of operation and ease of manufacture. Providing air gaps between a plurality of moveable mirror strips that move substantially in unison in response to a control signal facilitates control of air dampingxe2x80x94increasing the speed of the device and reducing the required drive voltage.
Various embodiments of the invention are easily scalable for use in a variety of multiple wavelength applications. Other technical advantages are readily apparent to one of skill in the art from the attached figures, description, and claims.

Apparatus and method for high speed optical signal processing