Current testing/measuring apparatus 10 comprises a flexible member 12 having a first end 14 and a second end 16. In use, the flexible member 12 is arranged to locate around a conductor 11 carrying a current to be measured. In particular, the current measuring apparatus 10 comprises a Rogowski coil. The ends of the flexible member 12 are coupled together in use but a gap is created between the ends. This distance can generate errors in the current measurement and the present invention provides compensation means 28 in the form of a compensation windings. The compensation windings comprise a planar spiral conductor provided on a printed circuit board to compensate for the separation distance between the first end and the second end.

Current measuring apparatus include a uniform coil of wire which is wound on a non-magnetic former of constant cross-section area and shaped into a closed loop. Such current measuring apparatus is termed a Rogowski coil which is based on the Rogowski principle. The Rogowski coil comprises a flexible open ended member which is formed into a contiguous loop around a conductor in order to measure the electric current and associated parameters of the conductor.
In use, the flexible member is located around a conductor in order for a first end of the flexible member to locate adjacent to and be coupled with a second end of the flexible member. Accordingly, the flexible member forms a "closed" loop or a contiguous loop around the conductor carrying the current to be measured. However, since there must be a physical gap between the wire of the coil in the first end and second end of the flexible member the Rogowski coil does not physically re-create the theoretical closed loop of the theoretical Rogowski principle.
It is an aim of the present invention to overcome at least one problem associated with the prior art whether referred to herein or otherwise.

Method and apparatus for measuring current


A method for reusing a secondary battery by reusing unit cells or battery modules constituting reclaimed assembled batteries (or battery packs) to reconstruct a new assembled battery is disclosed. Assembled batteries are reclaimed, and disassembled into battery modules. The battery modules are selected based on battery characteristics such as an open-circuit voltage (OCV) and the like using an absolute acceptable range and a relative acceptable range, and a new assembled battery is rebuilt. The relative acceptable range is an acceptable range which is set for each assembled battery, and is set to have its center at an average value of a battery characteristic distribution.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a method for reusing a secondary battery, and more particularly to a method for combining secondary batteries reclaimed from users to reconstruct a newly assembled battery or battery pack.
2. Related Art
Assembled batteries each composed of a plurality of secondary batteries are used as power sources for electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, or the like. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of efficient utilization of resources, in connection with assembled batteries used as a power source for vehicles, reusing techniques or reconstructing (rebuilding) an assembled battery having performance sufficient for reuse from assembled batteries reclaimed from users to enable resupply of a battery to a user have also been considered. With respect to rebuilding, because battery characteristics, such as variations in voltage due to overcharge, overdischarge, or memory effect, vary among assembled batteries which have been used, there has been proposed a structure wherein secondary batteries which have particularly superior battery performance are selected for rebuilding from among a plurality of reclaimed secondary batteries.
Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2003-17142 A discloses a method for reusing a battery pack which houses a battery module in which a plurality of unit cells that are sealed-type nickel-metal hydride batteries are combined, the method comprising reclaiming a battery pack as a battery to be replaced when it is determined that the battery pack has reached its end of life, renewing unit cells or battery modules for which an end-of-life determination has been made by refilling them with an electrolytic solution, and reassembling them into a battery pack. An end-of-life determination is made when an internal resistance calculated for each unit cell or each battery module becomes greater than a specified value, or based on whether or not a variation in remaining capacity or voltage between unit cells or between battery modules becomes greater than a specified value.
Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2007-141464 A discloses a method for reusing a secondary battery module of a secondary battery system which includes one or more secondary battery modules, the method comprising the steps of obtaining, from the secondary battery system, at least one or more pieces of battery information selected from a resistance, a capacity, a battery use time, a resistance change rate, a capacity change rate, and a battery use intensity of a secondary battery module constituting the secondary battery; determining whether or not an obtained piece of battery information has reached a threshold value which is preset for that piece of battery information; reclaiming the secondary battery module when it is determined that the threshold value has been reached; grading the reclaimed secondary battery module in accordance with performance of the battery determined based on the battery information of the reclaimed secondary battery module; and, based on a result of the grading, applying the reclaimed secondary battery module to a system having threshold value conditions under which it can operate at the performance of the battery that the secondary battery module has at the time when it is being reclaimed.
Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. JP 2009-277627 A discloses carrying out reconstruction to create a newly assembled battery by combining reusable secondary batteries of an originally recycled battery or another battery that is stored in a fully discharged state, or by combining the secondary battery to be reused and a new secondary battery.
In cases where a newly assembled battery (or battery pack) or secondary battery system is reconstructed (rebuilt) by comparing an internal resistance or a capacity of unit cells or battery modules with a preset threshold value to determine whether or not an end of life has been reached, reclaiming the unit cells or battery modules, and grading them, although the internal resistance or the capacity value of the unit cells or battery modules constituting the rebuilt battery pack satisfies a reference value when it is rebuilt, there are relatively large overall variations when it is rebuilt, and the variations may further increase as the rebuilt assembled battery is used. For example, assume a case where there are two assembled batteries A and B for which it is determined that an end of life has been reached, and battery modules are taken from these two assembled batteries to rebuild a new assembled battery C. When the new assembled battery C is rebuilt by respectively grading a plurality of battery modules constituting the assembled battery A, respectively grading a plurality of battery modules constituting the assembled battery B, and putting together battery modules having a predetermined grade from the assembled battery A and battery modules having the same grade from the assembled battery B, because there are variations in, for example, internal resistance or voltage even among those having the predetermined grade of the assembled battery A, and there are variations in, for example, internal resistance or voltage even among those having the same grade of the assembled battery B, a range of variations in battery characteristics of the battery modules of the newly rebuilt assembled battery C is relatively large. When attention is focused on the assembled battery A, although, even if there is no problem in battery characteristics themselves such as internal resistance or voltage, it is more preferable not to incorporate battery modules having battery characteristics significantly deviated from battery characteristics of other battery modules included in the assembled battery A into the assembled battery C which is to be newly rebuilt, in conventional methods, such battery modules will be incorporated because there is no problem in battery characteristics themselves. This similarly applies to the assembled battery B.


A method for charging a battery, in particular a lithium ion battery, be performing the following: charging the battery using a constant charging current in a first phase, charging the battery using a constant charging voltage in a subsequent second phase, ending the charging as a function of a specifiable boundary value of the charging current in the second phase. In this context, the following operations are provided: comparing a guide voltage specified for setting the constant voltage to at least one stored switch-off value determined as a function of the boundary value, and ending the charging when the guide voltage reaches the switch-off value. Also described is a device for charging the battery.

Methods and devices for charging a battery are believed to be discussed in the related art. By the term battery one should also understand, in this instance, individual or several cells of a battery or of an accumulator. For lithium ion batteries it is particularly known that one may use the so-called IU charging method, which is also designated as CCCV charging method (constant current constant voltage). In this method, the battery is charged in a first phase (I charging) at constant current, while the charging voltage increases. The current is limited, in this instance, by a current regulator of the device, or rather, of the charging unit. Upon reaching a selected end-of-charge voltage at the battery, one switches over from constant current control to voltage control, at which the battery is loaded further at constant voltage. At an increasing charging level of the battery, the charging current drops automatically. It is known that, as a criterion for ending the charging, one may use the falling below of a specifiable boundary value by a falling charging current.
In order to carry out or map the abovementioned charging method, the recording of the charging current and its preparation in signal technology are required.

Method and device for charging a battery


An anti-influenza vaccine composition wherein the improvement is that the vaccine includes, as an additive, neuraminidase (NA). The base anti-influenza vaccine can be any commercially available anti-influenza vaccine. The composition can include and be administered with an adjuvant. The vaccine composition provides protection in a host, animal or human, against influenza infection, including viral replication and systemic infection. Oral, nasal or other mucosal or per needle administration, including intracutaneous, intradermal, intramuscular, intravascular, and intravenous, are included.

The present invention relates to a Neuraminidase (NA) supplemented compositions, and methods employing the same, including routes of administration. More specifically, the present invention relates to an immunological, antigenic, immunogenic, or vaccine composition comprising an anti-influenza vaccine wherein the improvement comprises having as an additive neuraminidase (NA) from at least one influenza virus strain; and, to methods for making and using the same. Such compositions and methods have advantages such as improved efficacy.
Several documents are cited in the text, with full citation thereat, or in the portion headed xe2x80x9cReferencesxe2x80x9d, and each document cited herein (xe2x80x9cherein cited documentsxe2x80x9d) and each document referenced or cited in herein cited documents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The influenza viruses are divided into types A, B and C based on antigenic differences. Influenza A viruses are described by a nomenclature which includes the sub-type or type, geographic origin, strain number, and year of isolation, for example, A/Beijing/353/89. There are at least 15 sub-types of HA (H1-H13) and nine subtypes of NA (N1-N9). All subtypes are found in birds, but only H1-H3 and N1-N2 are found in humans, swine and horses (Murphy and Webster, xe2x80x9cOrthomyxovirusesxe2x80x9d, in Virology, ed. Fields, B. N., Knipe, D. M., Chanock, R. M., 1091-1152 (Raven Press, New York, 1990)). Influenza A and B virus epidemics can cause a significant mortality rate in older people and in patients with chronic illnesses.
Epidemic influenza occurs annually and is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Children have the highest attack rate, and are largely responsible for transmission of influenza virus in the human community. The elderly and persons with underlying health problems, e.g., immuno-compromised individuals, are at increased risk for complications and hospitalization from influenza infection. In the United States alone, more than 10,000 deaths occurred during each of the seven influenza seasons between 1956 and 1988 due to pneumonia and influenza, and greater than 40,000 deaths were reported for each of the two seasons (Update: Influenza Activityxe2x80x94United States and Worldwide, and Composition of the 1992-1993 Influenza Vaccine, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, 41No. 18:315-323, 1992).
The influenza vaccines currently used are inactivated vaccines: they may be constituted of entire virions, or of virions subjected to treatment with agents which dissolve lipids (xe2x80x9csplitxe2x80x9d vaccines), or else of purified glycoproteins (xe2x80x9csub-unit vaccinesxe2x80x9d). These inactivated vaccines mainly protect by causing synthesis of the receiver""s antibodies directed against the hemagglutinin. Antigenic evolution of the influenza virus by mutation results in modifications in HA and NA. Accordingly, inactivated vaccines used at present only protect against strains having surface glycoproteins which comprise identical or cross-reactive epitopes. To provide a sufficient antigenic spectrum, conventional vaccines comprise components from several viral strains; they generally contain two type A strains and one type B strain. The choice of strains for use in vaccines is reviewed annually for each particular year and is predicated on WHO FDA recommendations. These recommendations reflect international epidemiological observations. Viral strains may be obtained from:
NIBSC (National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, London, UK).
WIC (World Influenza Centre, London, UK).
CDC (Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, USA).
CBER (Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Washington, USA).
Current influenza virus seeds for vaccine production must be shown to have the appropriate HA antigen because of the reassortant procedure used to generate high yielding virus strains used for manufacturing. However, there is currently no requirement for or limit to NA content in influenza vaccines. There is evidence that the NA level in vaccines is quite variable. Kendal et al. (Kendal et al., 1980) reported that the NA specific activity for different lots may range approximately 40-fold. Kendal et al. also noted a rapid decline of NA activity during six months of storage. As a result, the frequency of antibody response to NA was poor (mean seroconversion rate of 18%) compared to the HA response (seroconversion rate of 64%). The frequency of response to NA in a population known to be primed to that NA ranged from 0 to 32% compared to a response rate of 29 to 91% for the HA antigen (Palese, et al., 1982).
Commercially available conventional influenza vaccines include a trivalent subvirion vaccine which contains 15 xcexcg/dose of each the Has from influenza A/Texas/36/91 (NINI), A/Beijing/32/92 (H3N2) and B/Panama, 45/90 viruses (FLUZONE(trademark) attenuated flu vaccine, Connaught Laboratories, Swiftwater, Pa.). A purified virus surface antigen vaccine is sold as Fluvirin(copyright) (an attenuated influenza viral vaccine produced by culturing in eggs). Each conventional vaccine can contain 15 micrograms of viral HA per 0.5 ml from A/Texas/36/91 (HINI), A/Shangdong/9/93 (H3N2), and B/Panama/45/90 influenza strains. Conventional vaccines generally contain 10 to 15 xcexcg of hemagglutinin from each of the strains entering into their composition.
Previous clinical trials demonstrated that antibody to NA may be effective in inducing partial protection and in reducing the severity of illness. Examples are: Human Clinical Trials of NA specific vaccines. Clinical trials of NA-based vaccines consisted of NA-specific whole-viral antigenic hybrids containing the NA of interest and an irrelevant HA. In the first study, Couch et al. (Couch, R. B., et al., 1974) demonstrated reduction of viral replication and protection by an H7N2 virus vaccine in volunteers challenged with H3N2 virus and also showed solid resistance to reinfection and illness in subjects challenged six months later with the original virus.
In a two year study of 875 Buffalo school children, Ogra et al. (Ogra, P. L., et al., 1977) compared the effects of two vaccines under conditions of natural exposure and successive challenge by the Port Chalmers and Victoria variants of H3N2 virus. The two vaccines, X-41 and X-42, were manufactured under identical conditions. The X-41 vaccine contained HA and NA antigens of the Port Chalmers strain (comparable to conventional vaccine) and X-42 was an H7N2 antigenic hybrid possessing the irrelevant HA of an equine virus. The outcome of natural infection, first with Port Chalmers virus then with Victoria/75 virus in two successive winters is shown in the table below.
The infection rate in the first winter was shown to be the same in control and NA-specific vaccine groups. As expected, X-41 (conventional vaccine) caused a greater initial reduction of illness, although a lesser but significant reduction was seen with the NA-specific vaccine. In the second winter, the efficacy of NA vaccination was evident in that infection as well as the disease rate in the X-42 vaccines was reduced.
A trial in Czechoslovakia by Vonka et al. (Vonka, V., et al., 1977) used an inactivated whole-virus vaccine prepared from an H1N2 reassortant. A total of 1,200 subjects were vaccinated and a comparable group served as controls. An increase in HA antibody was noted in a majority of sampled subjects and against N2 in slightly more than half. Three months after immunization, an A/Victoria (H3N2) epidemic occurred. Although numerous influenza cases occurred in the two populations, morbidity was significantly lower in the vaccinated subjects.
While these studies show benefit of NA immunization, the NA was always presented in association with an HA antigen. In view of the phenomenon of antigenic competition and dominance of HA over NA, no real effect of NA was demonstrated. There are additional studies regarding NA reported in Kilbourne et al. (1995) in Vaccine.
It is therefore desirable to improve the existing anti-influenza vaccines.
Further, even if NA may itself be protective, heretofore there has been no demonstration, or recognition, of any effect NA could confer in conjunction with conventional, primarily HA-based vaccines, especially in view of the dominance and competition phenomena.
An object of the present invention is a vaccine composition against influenza, with synergic effects, containing influenza virus NA as an additive to the influenza vaccine.
The present invention provides a vaccine against influenza containing the constituents of a conventional influenza vaccine and/or a recombinant or recombinants expressing such constituents, e.g., a recombinant expressing HA or recombinant HA, and, in addition, NA as a supplement; e.g. NA from at least one influenza virus strain and/or NA from expression by a vector in vivo and/or in vitro. For example, a conventional influenza vaccine or a recombinant influenza vaccine (e.g., a recombinant expressing HA or HA from recombinant expression) which additionally contains NA: from at least one influenza strain, and/or from in vitro expression of NA by a vector (with isolation and/or purification of the NA), and/or from a vector which expresses NA in vivo (e.g., a conventional influenza vaccine including a vector which expresses NA in vivo). The vector can be a recombinant virus or a DNA plasmid or naked DNA.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an anti-influenza composition with improved antigenic cross-reactivity for protection against antigenically-distant strains.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an anti-influenza composition having flexibility in modifying antigenic content for specific populations.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a vaccine, antigenic, immunogenic or immunological composition which is an anti-influenza composition; and, which further includes, as an additive neuraminidase (NA) and/or a vector which expresses NA in vivo.
That is, the present invention provides an improvement to prior anti-influenza compositions by providing a such a composition comprising additional NA, as an additive.
The vaccine composition to which NA and/or the vector is added can comprise a complete virion, or a sub-unit, or a split vaccine; or a purified surface antigen or trivalent (from influenza or from recombinant expression) vaccine; or a vector which expresses a purified surface antigen or epitope of interest, e.g., HA or an epitope of interest thereof, in vivo.
The NA can be from at least one influenza strain; and, can be from isolating NA from the virion, or by recombinant expression.
The NA can be present, or expressed in vivo, in an amount sufficient to elicit an immunological response, e.g., a protective immune response; preferably such a response which is an improvement over a conventional vaccine or immunological composition (e.g., to provide improved efficacy).
The NA can be present, or expressed in vivo, preferably in a molar ratio relative to hemagglutinin (HA) of: from about 0.05 to about 2.0; for instance, from about 0.05 to about 0.15, or from about 0.15 to about 0.3, or from about 0.3 to about 0.65, or from about 0.65 to about 1.0, or from about 1.0 to 2.0. Thus, for instance, if HA is present in an amount of about 15 ug, NA may be present, or expressed in vivo, preferably in amounts of about 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 15 or 30 ug. The NA can be from A and/or B strains; and, can be from mammalian and/or avian influenza, e.g., human, avian, swine and/or equine influenza.
A vector or recombinant expressing NA can be present in an inventive composition in an amount of about at least 103.5 pfu; more preferably about 104 pfu to about 1010 pfu, e.g., about 105 pfu to about 109 pfu, for instance about 106 pfu to about 108 pfu. If the vector is a DNA plasmid or naked DNA, suitable quantities can be 1 ug to 100 mg, preferably 0.1 to 10 mg, but lower levels such as 0.1 to 2 mg or preferably 1-10 ug may be employed. And, if the vaccine comprises a vector or recombinant expressing another influenza antigen or antigens, or epitopes of interest thereof, e.g., HA or an eptiope of interest thereof, that vector or recombinant can preferably be present in similar amounts.
The invention further comprehends methods for immunization, or of eliciting (or stimulating) an immunological response, which comprises inoculating or administering a host susceptible to influenza with a suitable amount, e.g., an immunizing or response-eliciting (or stimulating) amount of the inventive composition.
The present invention also provides a kit for formulating vaccines of the invention comprising (i) the anti-influenza vaccine, and (ii) the NA and/or recombinant or vector expression NA, in separate containers. The containers can be in a single package, i.e., they can be packaged together; and, the kit can further include instructions for a mixture of (i) and (ii) and/or for administration of the resultant composition.
These and other embodiments are disclosed or are obvious from and encompassed by, the following Detailed Description.


An extrusion die for forming a honeycomb structure such as a catalyst carrier of a catalytic converter for internal combustion engines is provided. The extrusion die includes material inlet ports and latticed slits. The slits are formed in a die base and have first inner walls leading to an outer surface of the die base and second inner walls leading to the material inlet ports, respectively. Metal-plated layers are formed on the first inner walls of the slits to define outlets of the die and have the width smaller than those of the second inner walls of the slits, respectively. This die structure facilities easy extrusion of the honeycomb structure made up by thin honeycomb walls with a smaller extrusion resistance.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improvement on an extrusion die for molding a honeycomb structure such as a catalyst carrier of a catalytic converter for internal combustion engines and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Background of Related Art
FIG. 4 shows a catalyst carrier of a conventional catalytic converter used in an internal combustion engine exhaust system.
The catalyst carrier is formed with a honeycomb structure 8 consisting of latticed cell walls 81 defining cells 82. The honeycomb structure 8 is usually formed by extruding a ceramic material into a honeycomb shape, cutting it to a desired length, and drying it.
FIG. 5 shows a conventional extrusion die for forming the honeycomb structure 8 which includes material inlet ports 4 and latticed slits 92 communicating with the material inlet ports 4. The ceramic material is forced into the latticed slits 92 through the material inlet ports 4 to form the honeycomb structure 8.
In recent years, there is an increasing need for the honeycomb structure 8 to be decreased in thickness of the cell walls 81 for lightening and improvement of performance thereof. The thinning of the cell walls 81 of the honeycomb structure 8 requires reduction in width of the silts 92 of the extrusion die. The reduction in width of the slits 92 will, however, cause the resistance to extrusion of the material through the slits 92 to be increased, necessitating the use of a large extruder.
In order to avoid the above problem, it is effective to shorten the length of the slits 92 in the direction of extrusion. This, however, encounters a drawback in that the material injected from the material inlet ports 4 is extruded out of the die without spreading all over the latticed slits 92, thereby leading to the formation of defects in the honeycomb structure 8. Specifically, the formation of the honeycomb structure 8 without any extrusion defects requires a sufficient length of the slits 92 in the direction of extrusion.
Japanese Patent Second Publication No. 61-164 discloses an extrusion die, as shown in FIG. 6, for a honeycomb structure designed to alleviate the above problem. The extrusion die 902 has, as clearly shown in the drawing, latticed slits 92 of a stepped structure. Specifically, each of the slits 92 has a wide portion 93 leading to one of the material inlet ports 4.
This structure eliminates the lack of spread of the material in the slits 92, yet it allows the length of the slits 92 in the direction of extrusion to be decreased. This permits the width of the slits 92 to be decreased without increasing the extrusion resistance, resulting in a decrease in thickness of the cell wall.
The above extrusion die, however, has the following drawback.
The formation of the wide portions 93 of the slits 92 requires a complex manufacturing process, resulting in a great increase in number of machining processes.
The formation of the wide portions 93 wider than the slits 92 makes it difficult to machine the material inlet ports 4 and the slits 92 in a single steel plate. It is, thus, necessary to machine the material inlet ports 4 and the slits 92 in different steel plates and bond them into a single piece. This results in a rise in manufacturing cost of the honeycomb structure.

Extrusion die for molding honeycomb structure and manufacturing method thereof


There is provided an etching method including: a first gas supply step of supplying a reducing gas to a workpiece having a metal film formed thereon to reduce a front surface of the metal film, the workpiece being accommodated in at least one processing chamber; and subsequently, a second gas supply step of supplying an oxidizing gas for oxidizing the metal film and an etching gas composed of a β-diketone to etch the oxidized metal film.

There is a demand for finely forming wirings in semiconductor devices. Using Co as a metal for such wirings was under consideration. For example, techniques which dry-etch metal on the surface of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a "wafer") are known.
As an example, there is a technique that etches a Co film on the surface of the substrate while concurrently supplying an oxygen gas and a hexafluoroacetylacetone (Hfac) gas as a β-diketone in a state in which the substrate is heated to a temperature ranging from 200 degrees C. to 400 degrees C. At this time, a flow rate ratio of the oxygen (O2) gas to the Hfac gas is 1% or less. In addition, there is a technique that etches a Co film on the surface of the substrate using the Hfac gas. At this time, an oxygen gas may be added to the Hfac gas. Further, there is a technique that causes metallic contaminants such as copper on the surface of the substrate to react with a β-diketone under an oxidation atmosphere to remove the metallic contaminants.


Fishhooks (20), artificial lures (23, 35, 65, 67 and 91) or trailer rods (120) include both an anodic segment (25, 85 and 105) and a cathodic segment (27). The anodic and cathodic segments (25, 85, 105 and 27) are arranged so that immersion of fishhooks (20), artificial lures (23, 35, 65, 67 and 91) or trailer rods (120) in water establishes a galvanic cell that generates an electo-magnetic field which simulates the natural bioelectric field of living prey. A particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention interposes an insulated segment (29) between the anodic and cathodic segments (25, 85, 105 and 27) of fishhooks (20), artificial lures (23, 35, 65, 67 and 91). While galvanic action occurs between the anodic and cathodic segments, fishhooks (20) and artificial lures (23, 35, 65, 67 and 91) and trailer rods (120) in accordance with the present invention establish a constant, bioelectric simulating electromagnetic field.

Mankind has, from prehistoric times to the present, fished both for sustenance and for pleasure. Throughout that interval, diverse devices have been developed to improve various different aspects of fishing. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,142 entitled "Self-Destruct Fish Hook" discloses a fishhook that has a selected small anodic area of exposed steel, and a highly cathodic plating covering a much larger area of the fishhook's surface. When immersed in seawater, the resulting galvanic couple causes the small anodic area to corrode rapidly so the fishhook eventually breaks. In a preferred embodiment, a coating covers either the anodic area or the cathodic plating to delay the onset of corrosion at the anodic area. Thus, when immersed in seawater this preferred fishhook retains 100 percent of its mechanical strength for a substantial usage interval before the steel body begins corroding.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,808 entitled "Electro-Acoustical Fishing Lure" ("the '808 patent") discloses that it has been long known that electrical pulses and sonic waves attract fish. It is also known that at least some fish, for example catfish, employ bioelectric detection in hunting their prey. FIG. 1 of the '800 patent depicts a lure having fluttering, electro-acoustical electrodes that are suspended parallel to a fixed electrode. The fluttering electrodes have one electrode potential while the fixed electrode has a different electrode potential. The fluttering electrodes are attached to the fixed electrode by an insulator fitting and rings.
Because the differing potentials between the fixed electrode and the fluttering electrodes when immersed in water electrolyte allegedly establish a voltaic cell, the '808 patent asserts that such electrodes separated both by the electrolyte and by the insulator fitting provide a fairly constant emf while delivering an electrical current to an outside load. Thus, upon drawing the lure through the water the fluttering electrodes discharge a momentary electrical current pulse when they collide with the fixed electrode. Collisions between either fluttering electrode and the fixed electrode also transmit an acoustical wave into the water concurrent with the alleged electrical current pulse discharge. Thus, the fishing lure disclosed in this patent allegedly simultaneously introduces both electrical pulses and sonic waves into the water.

Bioelectric simulating fishook and lure and method of using same


New therapeutic agents of carboxylic acid derivatives are disclosed, which are represented by the compounds of the following formula (I) or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts, ##STR1## These compounds are useful as a matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) inhibitors.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to carboxylic acids and the derivative compounds thereof which have a Matrix Metalloproteinases (hereinafter shortened to MMPs) inhibitory function or the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and the production method thereof; and further relates to a medicine containing said carboxylic acids, derivative compounds thereof or the salts thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The MMPs are zinc dependent, calcium requiring enzymes that are involved in the degradation of extra cellular matrix. Under normal physiological conditions, the expression of the constitutive MMPs is low, and regulated by naturally occurring inhibitors termed TIMPs (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases). However, under pathological conditions such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, MMPs expression in cartilage is disregulated and results in over expression of MMPs which are not controlled by constitutive TIMPs. The level of the MMPs is high with enzymic activity and exceeding the level of the TIMPs. This condition leads to a loss of proteoglycan and collagen (J. Trzaskos, et al., Acta. Onthopaedica Scandinavia, 66, 150 (1995)).
In addition, MMPs inhibitors are effective on treatment for corneal ulceration and tumor progression (R. P. Beckett, et al., D.D.T., 1, 16 (1996)), and MMPs are playing important role in the pathogenesis of arteriosclerosis and restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) (C. M. Dollery, et al., Circ. Res., 77, 863 (1995)). It is therapeutically useful to control the increased MMPs by MMPs inhibitors under these pathological conditions. Recently, a review of MMPs inhibitors has been published (R. P. Beckett, et al., D.D.T., 1, 16 (1996)).
3. Problems to be Solved by the Invention
Though many reported MMPs inhibitors had excellent in vitro activity, these compounds had poor oral bioavailabilities. For example, the compounds had been administered by intrapleural administration (Drug News & Perspectives, 8 (4), 247, (1995)) or eye drops (Drug of the Future, 18, 1101 (1993)).
The object of the present invention is the provision of pharmaceutical compositions useful as MMPs inhibitors being capable of oral administration and a production method thereof.

Carboxylic acid derivatives, method of manufacturing the same and therapeutic agents containing these compounds


An antenna mounting assembly includes a stopper, a side wall, a retainer, and a fall-prevention latch on an instrument panel side of the assembly as an integral part of the panel. The fall-prevention latch and a folded part are engaged with each other for holding an antenna body. On the other hand, the antenna body is released from the instrument panel by disengaging the fall-prevention latch from the folded part.

There is a recent tendency to multi-function vehicles possessing not only such basic functions as running, turning and stopping but also a navigation function which utilizes position measurement by a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a vehicle-to-vehicle communication function. This tendency is becoming more and more conspicuous in quick tempo. Besides, importance is being attached to the design in both interior and exterior of a vehicle. Keeping steps with such a tendency, there also is a tendency that various parts and parts assemblies for fulfilling various functions are attached to the inside of an instrument panel. For example, an antenna assembly for receiving radio waves from road machines such as a GPS and an Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system is also attached to the inside of an instrument panel. As shown in FIG. 9, the antenna assembly is attached to a central position of a vehicle front portion in order to keep a good radio wave receiving condition. In FIG. 10, a central part in the transverse direction of a vehicle is cut in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and the result is shown in terms of a schematic sectional view. An approximate position of an antenna assembly attached to the inside of the instrument panel is shown in the same figure.
In connection with a configuration for mounting the antenna assembly to the instrument panel of a vehicle, such a technique as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13 is disclosed in Japanese patent literature JP-2004-276770A. FIG. 11 is a sectional view wherein the antenna assembly and the vicinity thereof shown in FIG. 10 are enlarged and the appearance of the antenna assembly as attached to the instrument panel is shown in more detail. In the illustrated configuration, an antenna body 31, together with a bracket 13, constitutes an antenna assembly 30 (see also FIGS. 12A and 12B). Further, the antenna assembly 30 is fixed to an instrument panel 10 together with a bracket 12 which is clamped and fixed with screws 14 to a mounting boss 11 of the instrument panel 10.
In order to effect such an assembly as shown in FIG. 11, first, as a preliminary operation, the antenna body 31 is attached to the bracket 13 to complete the antenna assembly 30, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B. Thereafter, the antenna assembly 30 is attached to the bracket 12 and lastly the bracket 12 is secured with screws 14 to the mounting boss 11 of the instrument panel 10.
In the above configuration, as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the mounting of the antenna assembly 30 to the bracket 12 is performed by fitting engagement between a fitting portion 15 which is formed on the bracket 12 so as to project upward and a fitting hole 16 formed in the bracket 13. The mounting in question is easy and does not require such parts as screws. Thus, the configuration is simplified. A worker for the mounting is merely required to slide the bracket 13 in A′ direction until fitting of the fitting portion 15 into the fitting hole 16 along with a guide portion 17 of the bracket 12.
There sometimes is a case where the check of performance and replacement of antenna is required after mounting the antenna assembly 30 to the bracket 12 and fixing it to the instrument panel 10. In this case, by disengaging the fitting portion 15 and the fitting hole 16 from each other and sliding the antenna assembly in the direction of A, the antenna assembly 30 can be removed easily from the instrument panel 10 (the bracket 12 integral with the instrument panel 10).
At present, since there are a wide variety of vehicle models, the shape of an instrument panel and the layout of parts attached to the instrument panel differ each vehicle model. It is an essential premise that an antenna assembly should be mounted without interference with other parts attached to the instrument panel.
However, in the mounting structure referred to above in connection with the description of the background, in order to avoid the above-mentioned interference, it is necessary that the bracket 12 for fixing the antenna assembly 30 to the instrument panel 10 be designed and fabricated correspondingly to the instrument panel shape and parts layout which differ for each vehicle model. Besides, the bracket 12 is absolutely necessary. Thus, there is a problem of an increase in the number of parts. Moreover, the screws 14 are needed for securing the bracket 12 to the instrument panel. Also in this point the problem of an increase in the number of parts is encountered.
Further, when mounting the bracket 12 to the instrument panel 10, the instrument panel 10 before mounting thereof to the vehicle is turned inside out and a mounting work is performed, with a back side 10-1 up, to tighten the screws 14. However, the working space is limited because many other parts and parts assemblies are installed in the interior of the instrument panel 10. Thus, the screwing work is not easy. If the worker should drop any of the screws 14 to the interior of the instrument panel 10 by mistake during the work, it is difficult to recover the dropped screw.


An AGC circuit is used for read channels of a disk storage apparatus, by controlling a level of a reading output of a head to be kept constant. This AGC circuit has a gain control amplifier and a feedback circuit for digitally feeding back an output thereof. A maximum current value of a current type D/A converter is varied for every zone in zone bit recording. A gain adjusting time of the AGC circuit can be therefore minimized in each zone. A GAP length in the respective zones can be thereby reduced, and a storage capacity is increased. A maximum current value of the current type D/A converter is varied in a read/write area and a data surface servo area on a disk storage medium. It is therefore feasible to minimize the gain adjusting time of the AGC circuit in each of the servo area and the read/write area. The current type D/A converter is set so that a plus-side maximum current value is different from a minus-side maximum current value. The operation is therefore speeded up when increasing a gain, and the gain adjusting time of the AGC circuit can be minimized.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an AGC circuit used for a read channel in a disk storage apparatus and, more particularly, to an AGC circuit of a disk storage apparatus for controlling a level of a reading signal of a head to be kept constant.
2. Description of the Related Art
A magnetic disk apparatus is a storage apparatus for writing and reading the data to and from a magnetic disk by a magnetic head. This magnetic disk apparatus has a read channel for reading the data written to the magnetic disk. An AGC (Automatic Gain Control) circuit is provided for the purpose of uniformizing amplitudes of the data read out in the read channels.
That is, the surface of a storage medium appears to be seemingly flat. An actual signal, however, fluctuates in terms of output due to a minute medium defects and medium unevenness. Therefore, in the AGC circuit, after controlling the readout signal with a constant amplitude, signal processing for demodulation is executed.
On the other hand, the AGC circuit used in the read channel of a partial response system has a feedback loop with the digital data. Employed in this feedback loop are a current type digital-to-analog converter for converting a digital error signal into an analog control quantity, and a loop filter. This current type digital-to-analog converter is requested to set an analog control quantity so that an AGC adjustment area on the magnetic disk is minimized.
FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a construction of the prior art. FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram showing the prior art.
FIG. 23 illustrates a digital AGC circuit used in the read channel of the partial response system. An analog signal read by a magnetic head (unillustrated) from a magnetic disk (unillustrated), is inputted to a gain control amplifier 90. The gain control amplifier (GCA) 90 amplifies an input signal with a gain corresponding to a control voltage.
An output of this gain control amplifier 90 is inputted to an analog filter 91. The analog filter 91 is a PR-4 (Partial Response class 4) filter. An output of the analog filter 91 is inputted to an A/D (analog-to-digital) converter 92. The A/D converter 92 converts the output of the analog filter 91 into a digital value by sampling it in accordance with a VFO clock defined as a clock of a voltage control oscillator. This digital value is an output of the digital AGC circuit.
The thus converted digital value is inputted to a gain correction circuit 93. The gain correction circuit 93 calculates an error between a target amplitude value and the thus inputted digital value. This error signal is inputted to a current type D/A (digital-to-analog) converter 94. The current type D/A converter 94 converts the digital error signal into an analog current quantity. This analog current is inputted to a loop filter 95 consisting of a condenser. The loop filter 95 converts the analog current into a control voltage. Then, the loop filter 95 supplies a gain control amplifier 90 with this control voltage.
An operation of the AGC circuit having the above-mentioned digital feedback will be explained referring to FIG. 24. As shown in FIG. 24, the error signal is updated at an interval of a sampling period of the A/D converter 92, and hence an error current is also updated at the interval of the sampling period of the A/D converter 92.
The condenser of the loop filter 95 is charged with the error current, thereby generating the control voltage. The AGC control voltage is therefore also updated at the interval of the sampling period of the A/D converter 92.
Herein, the control voltage V.sub.n of present sample time is expressed by the following formula: EQU V.sub.n =(T/C) x Vn+V.sub.n-1
where T is the sampling period of the A/D converter 92, C is the constant of the condenser of the loop filter 95, Vn is the current value of the error quantity, and V.sub.n-1 is the control voltage one sample before.
FIG. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing a track format in the prior art.
The track format on the magnetic disk medium has, as illustrated in FIG. 25, a servo area and a read/write area. A "GAP" is provided in front of the data area in the read/write area. Data of a single period is written to the GAP. AGC control operates when in a GAP reading process. Then, it is required that an AGC gain be adjusted to an optimum value before reading the data from the data area. The AGC gain is adjusted in this GAP area. With this adjustment, a clock (VFC) clock) of a voltage frequency oscillator is synchronized, thus adjusting a phase of a read clock.
Accordingly, the GAP length is set corresponding to a time length for which the AGC gain can be adjusted. As this GAP length becomes smaller, a wider data area can be provided, resulting in an increase in storage capacity.
According to the prior art, the maximum current value of the above-described current type D/A converter 94 and the constant of the condenser of the loop filter 95, are set to minimize the GAP length.
For example, if the GAP length required for optimally adjusting the gain when a variation quantity of the control voltage at the interval of the period T is small, the maximum current value of the current type D/A converter 94 is increased, or alternatively the constant of the condenser is decreased. Reversely if an overshoot occurs when the variation quantity of the control voltage at the interval of the period T is large, the maximum current value of the current type D/A converter 94 is decreased, or alternatively the constant of the condenser is increased.
Further, as shown in FIG. 25, the data is written to the servo area when delivered from the factory. The servo area is distinguished from the read/write area by a servo gate signal *SVGT.
FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram of a zone bit record, for explaining the problems inherent in the prior art. FIG. 27 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional AGC operation, for explaining the problems peculiar to the prior art.
The following problems, however, arise in the prior art. First, as shown in FIG. 26, a zone bit recording method is known. According to this zone bit recording method, the magnetic disk is segmented into concentric zones. Then, a transfer rate (a write frequency) is set higher as the zone is disposed more outward. With this arrangement, bit densities are equalized in the respective zones. Consequently, a recording density is enhanced.
When the prior art AGC gain adjusting method is applied to this zone bit recording method, the following problems might arise. According to the zone bit recording method, the period T differs depending on the respective zones. Accordingly, when the period T is decreased, the time for charging the condenser with the current is reduced. The variation quantity of the control voltage at the interval of the period T is thereby decreased. Reversely when the period T elongates, the time for charging the condenser with the current increases. This augments the variation quantity of the control voltage at the interval of the period T.
Consequently, one problem is that the GAP length can not be minimized in another zone even by adjusting the AGC maximum current value to minimize the GAP length in a certain zone. This leads to another problem, wherein a rise in storage efficiency by the zone bit recording method is hindered.
Second, in the zone bit recording method, the transfer rate in the servo area is fixed in each zone. This is because it is difficult to perform positioning at each zone boundary if the transfer rate in the servo area is changed in the respective zones.
Therefore, the transfer rate in the read/write area is different from that in the servo area according to the zone bit recording method. Namely, it follows that the period T differs. This reduces to such a problem that the time needed for optimally adjusting the AGC gain in the servo area is not minimized even when the AGC maximum current value is adjusted to minimize the GAP length in the read/write area as described above. Hence, there exists a problem of hindering the rise in the storage efficiency of the zone bit recording method.
Third, as shown in FIG. 27, let S2 be the signal having a target amplitude, and a 2-fold amplitude signal becomes S1, and a 1/2-fold amplitude signal is S3. For example, when switched over to a head having a 2-fold output level, and when changed from the target amplitude signal S2 to the signal S1, a difference from the target value is "16". While on the other hand, when switched over to a head having a one-half output Level, and when changed from the target amplitude signal S2 to the signal S3, the difference from the target value is "8".
Therefore, the difference is smaller when increasing the gain as in the case of becoming the signal S3 than when decreasing the gain as in the case of becoming the signal S1. Hence, the problem is that the operation becomes slower when increasing the gain than when decreasing the gain. This results in such a problem that the rise in the storage efficiency is hindered because of the longer time needed for optimally adjusting the AGC gain.


In an image forming method using an electrophotographic process, an amount of toner to be supplemented for maintaining a desired image density is estimated in response to input data which are a ratio of reflection densities produced by an optical sensor responsive to a pattern for control and an estimated toner consumption signal. Toner supplement control is executed on the basis of the result of estimation. The method sharply responds to a change in environment due to aging and a change in the kind of documents to thereby insure stable image density, compared to a conventional method relaying on an optical sensor or a toner sensor.

The present invention relates to an image forming method capable of controlling the recording density of, for example, an electrophotographic apparatus and, more particularly, to an image forming method which insures adequate image formation at all times.
In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a latent image is electrostatically formed on an image carrier by a predetermined method and then developed by a toner fed from a developing unit. Usually, the toner is charged to polarity opposite to that of the latent image so as to be electrostatically deposited on the latent image. To charge the toner to the above-mentioned polarity, use is often made of a two component type developer, i.e., a mixture of toner and carrier. As the toner and carrier of this type of developer are mixed and agitated together, the toner is charged by friction. Development using the two component developer can charge the toner to a sufficient degree. However, control for maintaining the toner concentration of the developer, i.e., the image density constant is the prerequisite since only the toner is consumed by repetitive development. To meet this requirement, it has been customary to measure the toner concentration of the developer and control the supplement of toner on the basis of the result of measurement.
To measure the toner concentration of the developer, an indirect and a direct method are available. The indirect method forms an electrostatic latent image of a particular pattern or reference pattern on a photoconductive element, develops it, and then photoelectrically measures the density of the developed image by an optical sensor. The direct method measures the weight or permeability of the developer by a toner sensor.
The conventional image forming method starts supplementing the toner only after the toner concentration has been lowered. This brings about a problem that when documents of the kind consuming a great amount of toner are continuously reproduced, a supplement sharply changes the toner concentration, making it difficult to maintain the toner concentration stable.
Another problem is that the conventional method does not take account of the time lag between a toner supplement and an increase in toner concentration. Hence, the toner concentration varies over a noticeable range, i.e., the control accuracy is not satisfactory.
Still another problem is that the amount of toner to be consumed between consecutive patterns for control is noticeably effected by the pixel density of documents, varying environment and so forth, preventing an adequate amount of toner matching the toner consumption from being supplemented. At this instant, a change in the pixel density of documents between consecutive patterns for control, i.e., a change in the amount of toner consumption disturbs a feedback system associated with the optical sensor. To enhance accuracy of toner concentration, the number of times that the pattern for control is formed and, therefore, the amount of feedback data may be increased. This, however, aggravates the consumption of toner as well as the load acting on a cleaning unit.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 33704/1989 discloses an image forming method using first sensing means for determining an amount of toner consumed for reproduction by counting image form signals, and second means for determining an amount of toner scattered around on the basis of the operation time of the developing roller. Based on such amounts of toner consumption, this method supplies a toner to maintain the concentration constant. However, the relation between image form signals and amounts of toner consumption is not constant since it is influenced by changes in the charging ability of the carrier ascribable to the deterioration of the developer due to aging. It follows that the ability of the developing unit changes and makes it difficult to insure an ideal image quality or toner concentration in matching relation to the varying conditions.
Generally, regarding the two component developer for electrophotography, the charging ability of the carrier decreases due to the degradation of the developer ascribed to aging. In addition, the degree of charge accumulation and, therefore, Q/M increases in a low temperature, low humidity environment. By contrast, in a high temperature, high humidity environment, Q/M decreases since the degree of charge leak increases. It has ben customary to determine a control value by considering the influence of only one or two factors separately despite that many factors effect Q/M in combination, i.e., despite that an optimum control value has to be determined in consideration of multiple information to which the target is susceptible.
In addition, with the conventional method, it is impossible to form many patterns for control when it comes to a high speed machine which is severely restricted in respect of time. This, coupled with the fact that the control processing has to be executed at high speed, obstructs accurate control.


An optical receiver includes closed-loop composite second order (CSO) distortion correction logic. An optical communication system includes a transmitter comprising open-loop composite second order (CSO) distortion correction logic, and a receiver comprising closed-loop composite second order (CSO) distortion correction logic.

In a typical optical link that is transporting many radio frequency (RF) carrier channels, there exists composite second order distortion (CSO) components. The CSO components result from inherent nonlinearity of the link components, laser chirp interactions, and other effects. In one application, for example, CSO distortions primarily appear at +/−1.25 Mhz offsets from either side of the carrier center frequencies, and in another application the CSO distortions appear +/−750 kHz offsets from the carrier when the frequencies are spaced differently than 6 Mhz. These components follow the (fx−fy) and (fx+fy) rule for every carrier frequency, whereby fx and fy are combinations of any two different frequencies in the total band transmitted.
Another way in which even-order CSO distortion manifests itself is by the (fn+1−fn) rule. This rule states that a distortion product is generated for every pair of RF frequencies that are adjacent to each other. A typical optical system may operate with cable television (CATV) National Television System Committee (NTSC) RF carrier frequencies. The majority of these carrier frequencies are nominally equally spaced at 6.00 Mhz intervals, within a tolerance of less than +/−30 Khz. The actual spacing between carriers depends on the absolute frequency accuracy of each individual carrier. This results in many distortion products that fall within the 6.00 Mhz+/−30 Khz frequency range (e.g. when detected using a photodiode). For a system transmitting N carriers, there will be (N−1) of these CSO 6.00 Mhz difference signals, or 'beats'. For other channel plans, such as European PAL format, the channel spacing will be different at 7.00 Mhz or 8.00 Mhz, with corresponding CSO beat products.
A measure of the energy in all these 6.00 Mhz beat frequencies is indicative of the even-order distortion present on the optical link. If these 6.00 Mhz components are monitored and a mechanism exists that reduces their magnitude, then the other CSO components falling at +/−1.25 Mhz on either side of the carriers may also be reduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,687,466 describes automatic distortion cancellation in an optical transmitter.

Optical receiver with automatic distortion cancellation


A multilayer composite tubular structure for use as a stent in surgical procedures has an outer layer of biocompatible material, a middle layer of radiopaque material, and an inner layer of biocompatible material. The layers are metallurgically bonded, to form a composite stent which is ductile and permits large deformation without delamination between the biocompatible and radiopaque layers. The composite structure formed is visible on a fluoroscope, yet does not obstruct the details of the stent itself, or of the anatomical features surrounding the stent.. A process of forming a multilayer composite tubular structure is also disclosed. A tube formed from radiopaque material is coaxially surrounded by a tube of biocompatible material. The tubes are simultaneously reduced, such as by tube drawing, swaging, or deep drawing, until a composite structure of a desirable diameter and wall thickness is formed. The tubes are then heat treated to cause diffusion bonding of the biocompatible and radiopaque layers.

Stents are utilized in a wide range of surgical procedures. For example, stents are used to repair and support injured tissue during the subsequent healing process. The stent is delivered to the target site and expanded to several times its original diameter until the stent contacts the surrounding tissue. This process is known as initial expansion of the stent. Next, the stent is further expanded to imbed the stent into the walls of the surrounding anatomical structure, for example, an artery. This process is known as imbedding. The process of initial expansion and imbedding is known as deployment. Once the stent is expanded, it takes on a permanent set.
An example of a common surgical procedure involving the use of a stent is the placement of a stent within a coronary artery after removal of plaque from within the artery. In that case, the stent is used to support the vessel which has been blocked by atherosclerotic plaque.
Stents are also used in surgical procedures involving the ureters or the urethra. For example, in prostate surgery, stents are used to hold open tracts of the urinary system.
The placement and positioning of the stent is crucial during all surgical procedures such as those described above. Thus, various procedures have been developed which allow a physician or surgeon to view a stent in situ for proper placement. The most common of these procedures is to view the stent using a fluoroscope.
Prior art stents are commonly made of a single material such as stainless steel, tantalum, or Nitinol.TM., with the most common material used being stainless steel. A major disadvantage of a stainless steel stent is that it is transparent to a fluoroscope. Therefore, using a stainless steel stent requires that opaque dyes be injected in the bloodstream to make the stent visible to the surgeon for positioning and deployment. These dyes dissipate very quickly, making the stent visible for only a brief period of time. Thus, procedures involving stainless steel stents and the use of dye to view the stent require rapid placement and deployment of the stent. Additionally, the lack of visibility of the stent makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to verify that the stent has not changed location over time.
Tantalum is a radiopaque material widely used in stents. A solid tantalum stent must have a minimum thickness to be useful in deployment and function. The required thickness of the solid tantalum stent results in a high luminosity on a fluoroscope, and in turn causes several problems. One is that the fluoroscope image produced by tantalum stents is so luminous that it obliterates the detail of the stent pattern and the detail at the stent/vessel interface. Because it is impossible to view the stent/vessel interface, accurate placement of the stent at vessel bifurcations is tedious. Moreover, the fact that the stent structure cannot be accurately observed makes more difficult the determination of whether vascular conditions, such as restenosis, have occurred at the stent site.
Because stents are used at various anatomical sites, it is necessary to vary the thickness, and therefore the strength of the stent, to compensate for anatomical variations. For example, stents may be used at anatomical sites having varying degrees of muscle mass. A multilayer stent would have to be able to compensate for variations in muscle mass, for example, with different thicknesses of the stent layers. Additionally, it would also be desirable to be able to vary the luminosity of a stent to compensate for different anatomical variations and varying degrees of muscle mass.
Surgical stents undergo tremendous plastic deformation during deployment. In a multilayer stent, the layers of the stent must not delaminate or separate. Any delamination of a multilayer stent could expose rough or jagged edges, leading to thrombosis, and direct anatomical injury, including the tearing of vessels.
It is a usual surgical practice to deploy, expand, and imbed surgical stents by means of a balloon unit. The use of these balloon units is well known in the stent art. The pressure employed to expand a surgical stent using a ballon unit is critical. Stents that require a higher pressure to expand run an increased risk of balloon rupture, which could lead to an embolism.
There is, therefore, a need for a stent which is visible on a fluoroscope, but does not mask anatomical structures.
There is also a need for a multilayer stent which can expand without delaminating.
There is also a need for a multilayer stent whose strength can be varied by varying its thickness to accommodate different anatomical structures.
There is further a need for a multilayer stent where its luminosity on a fluoroscope can be varied by changing the thickness of the layers of the stent to accommodate different anatomical structures.
There is still further the need for a multilayer stent where the stent is expanded at a lower pressure and which provides a decreased risk of balloon rupture upon deployment.

Multilayer composite tubular structure and method of making


A method and apparatus are provided for discarding a priority fair share of traffic of network connections. In one example, the method receives traffic of at least a particular network connection. A portion of a fixed buffer allocation space is filled with traffic of the particular network connection, wherein a buffer in the fixed buffer allocation space is associated with a fixed buffer allocation queue identification. A portion of a prioritized fair share buffer space is filled with traffic of the particular network connection, wherein a buffer in the prioritized fair share buffer space is associated with a priority fair share queue identification. A portion of the lowest priority traffic of the network connections is discarded.

The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/045,187, entitled, "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RANDOM EARLY DETECTION OF DATA PACKETS OF NETWORK CONNECTIONS", filed Oct. 18, 2001; and is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/045,290, entitled, "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSERTING EMPTY MEMORY CELLS INTO A DATA FLOW OF NETWORK CONNECTIONS OF A COMPUTER NETWORK", filed Oct. 18, 2001; and is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/045,288 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,005), entitled, "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CACHING FREE MEMORY CELL POINTERS", filed Oct. 18, 2001; the disclosures of which are herein incorporated by reference.

Method and apparatus for discarding a prioritized fair share of traffic of network connections


An exemplary liquid crystal display (LCD) (20) includes an LCD panel (24), a timing control circuit (21), a plurality of gate drivers (23) connected to the LCD panel, and a plurality of data drivers (22) connected to the LCD panel. The timing control circuit includes a plurality of reduced swing differential signaling (RSDS) output terminals. Each data driver is electrically connected to a respective RSDS output terminal of the timing control circuit via an independent conducting line.

An LCD has the advantages of portability, low power consumption, and low radiation, and has been widely used in various portable information products such as notebooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), video cameras and the like. Furthermore, the LCD is considered by many to have the potential to completely replace cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors and televisions.
A typical LCD usually includes an LCD panel, a gate driver for scanning the LCD panel, a timing control circuit for transmitting image data to the data driver, and a data driver for providing gradation voltages to the LCD panel according to the received image data. The LCD panel includes a color filter substrate, a thin film transistor (TFT) array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the two substrates. When the LCD works, an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer. At least some of the liquid crystal molecules change their orientations, whereby the liquid crystal layer provides anisotropic transmittance of light therethrough. Thus the amount of the light penetrating the color filter substrate is adjusted by controlling the strength of the electric field. In this way, desired pixel colors are obtained at the color filter substrate, and the arrayed combination of the pixel colors provides an image viewed on a display screen of the LCD.
If motion picture display is conducted on the LCD, problems of poor image quality may occur. For example, the residual image phenomenon may occur because a response speed of the liquid crystal molecules is too slow. In particular, when a gradation variation occurs, the liquid crystal molecules are unable to track the gradation variation within a single frame period and produce a cumulative response during several frame periods. Consequently, considerable research is being conducted with a view to developing various high-speed response liquid crystal materials as a way of overcoming this problem.
Further, the aforementioned problems such as the residual image phenomenon are not caused solely by the response speed of the liquid crystal molecules. For example, when the displayed image is changed in each frame period to display the motion picture, the displayed image of one frame period remains in a viewer's eyes as an afterimage, and this afterimage overlaps with the viewer's perception of the displayed image of the next frame period. This means that from the viewpoint of a user, the image quality of the displayed image is impaired.
In order to overcome this problem, a residual image reducing mode driving method for the LCD has been developed. The residual image reducing driving method includes the following steps: dividing a frame into a first sub-frame and a second sub-frame; a data driver providing gradation voltages corresponding to normal image data to an LCD panel in the first sub-frame; and after about a half of the frame has elapsed, the data driver providing black-inserting voltages corresponding to black image data to the LCD panel in the second sub-frame.
Accordingly, a viewer perceives the black image during the second sub-frame, and an afterimage of the normal image displayed in the first sub-frame is lost from the viewer's perception during the second sub-frame. This means that there is no overlap of an afterimage with a perceived image of the next frame. Thus from the viewpoint of a user, the image quality of the displayed image is clear.
However, when the LCD works in the residual image reducing mode, the timing controlling circuit needs to work at double a normal frequency so as to transmit both the normal image data and the additional black image data to the data driver.
FIG. 3 shows a typical timing control circuit used in an LCD that works in a normal driving mode. The timing control circuit 11 includes two low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) input terminals communicating with an external circuit of the LCD for receiving image data, and two reduced swing differential signaling (RSDS) output terminals for transmitting the image data to a data driver of the LCD.
When the LCD works in the normal driving mode, if a data-transmitting rate of the timing control circuit 11 is equal to "D" pixel/sec, a working frequency "Xnormal" of the two RSDS output terminals of the timing control circuit 11 is calculated according to the following first formula (1):
                              X                      (            normal            )                          =                              D            Port_number                    =                                    D              2                        <            S                                              (        1        )            The "Port_number" represents the number of RSDS output terminals of the timing control circuit 11. "S" represents an endurable frequency (maximum normal working frequency) of the data driver that communicates with the timing control circuit 11.
FIG. 4 shows the timing control circuit 11 used in an LCD that works in the residual image reducing mode. When the LCD works in the residual image reducing mode, the LVDS input terminals of the timing control circuit 11 need to receive additional black image data. If the amount of additional black image data is equal to the amount of normal image data, and the amount of the normal image data and additional black image data that the timing control circuit 11 needs transmit in one second is equal to "2D", the working frequency of the two RSDS output terminals of the timing control circuit 11 is calculated according to the following second formula (2):
                              X                      (                          black              -              inserting                        )                          =                                            2                                                                                D                        Port_number                    =                                                    2                                                                                D                            2                        ≧            S                                              (        2        )
As shown in formula (2), when the LCD works in the residual image reducing mode, the working frequency "Xblack-inserting" of the timing control circuit 11 goes beyond the endurable frequency of the data driver. However, the data driver does not operate properly in a double frequency working condition. Therefore, the LCD needs one or more additional data drivers to deal with the additional black image data. Thus the cost of the LCD is increased.
What is needed, therefore, is an LCD that can overcome the above-described deficiencies.

Timing control circuit and liquid crystal display using same


A gas turbine combustor having a fuel injection nozzle for diffusion combustion disposed in a central portion of the combustor and an annular premixed nozzle disposed in an outer peripheral portion of the fuel injection nozzle for injecting a mixed gas of fuel and air. The annular premixed nozzle includes an annular premixing chamber and a plurality of premixed fuel nozzles for injecting fuel into the annular premixing chamber. The annular premix nozzle is divided by a partition (108) to form a plurality of premixing chambers each adjacent to the fuel injection nozzle for diffusion combustion. Each of the premixing chambers includes at least one of the premixed fuel nozzles. A mechanism is provided for supplying fuel to a predetermined number of the premixing chambers in a low load operation of the gas turbine and for supplying fuel to all of the premixing chambers in a high load operation.

The present invention relates to a gas turbine combustor and, more particularly, to a gas turbine combustor which is suitable for reduction in emission of nitrogen oxides (hereunder referred to as NOx).
NOx which occurs at time of combustion of natural gas, kerosene, gas oil (light oil), etc. is thermal NOx and occurs through oxidization of nitrogen in the air. The occurrence of the thermal NOx depends highly on temperature. In general, in a gas turbine in which low nitrogen content fuel is used, reduction of flame temperature is a principal concept of low NOx combustion. A combustor of a gas turbine is different from a burner used in boilers, etc.. That is, the fuel flow rate changes according to the gas turbine load. On the other hand, air flow rate is substantially fixed, and the fuel air ration, which is a mass flow ration between fuel and air, changes greatly between a partial load and a 100% rated load. Further, at the rated load, in which the fuel flow rate is a maximum, a lot of air, up to twice as much as the theoretical air flow rate necessary to effect complete combustion of fuel, is supplied. Therefore, a lean burn which forms a flame with much excess air can be employed, and the lean burn is a leading technology in a method of reduction of NOx adapted in the current combustor.
Combustion methods of gas fuel are classified into a diffusion combustion method of burning fuel while mixing the fuel with air and a premixed combustion method of premixing fuel and air and then jetting the mixture from a nozzle to burn it. The diffusion combustion method is excellent in stability of the flame and is able to form a flame in a wide range of fuel air ratios. However, since the fuel is burned while being mixed with air, the fuel air ration changes greatly, spatially, within the flame, so that even if lean burn is tried, a part of the fuel is burned under the condition of fuel rich combustion. Therefore, the flame temperature is raised partially and a lot of NOx is apt to occur.
In premixed combustion, fuel and air are mixed before they are introduced into the combustion chamber. Therefore, with the premixed combustion method it is easier to provide a uniform fuel air ration within the flame than it is with diffusion combustion, and the formation of partial temperature elevation due to lock of uniformity of mixing can be avoided, so that an effect of reduction of NOx is large. However, the fuel air ratio range in which the flame is stably formed and the conditions of jetting velocity are narrower than with diffusion combustion. In particular, in an operation of a turbine from starting to 100% load or operation of load interruption at emergency, since the fuel flow rate changes widely, it is difficult to operate the gas turbine only by premixed combustion, so that a two step combustion method is employed in which diffusion combustion is effected from the staring to a partial load and then premixed combustion is started when the turbine goes beyond the partial load. For combustors employing the two step combustion method, there are two kinds, one of which is a combustor in which combustion chambers are provided independently for diffusion combustion and for premixed combustion, respectively, which is disclosed in JP A 61-22106 and JP A 61-22127, for example. An example of the other kind is a combustion in which the diffusion combustion and the premixed combustion are effected in the same combustion chamber, which is disclosed in JP A 63-161318.
Further, since the fuel air ratio increases and the flame temperature elevates according to an increase in the gas turbine load or an increase in the fuel flow rate, NOx increases according to the increase in load. When the two step combustion method is employed, the NOx emission amount can be reduced after staring of the premixed combustion, but the NOx occurrence amount increases during the diffusion combustion before starting of the premixed combustion. In order to suppress NOx occurrence over a wide load range, the premixed combustion is started at a load as low as possible, but it is necessary to suppress NOx occurrence in the diffusion combustion.
In order to form a premixed flame, it is necessary to set the injection velocity of the mixture and the fuel air ratio within a range. When the injection velocity becomes larger and the fuel air ratio becomes smaller, the flame is blown out, and when the injection velocity becomes lower and the fuel air ratio becomes larger, the flame comes into the mixture injection nozzle, and so-called back fire takes place. The amounts of fuel and air necessary to form the flame are determined by the outlet diameter of the nozzle. If the outlet diameter of the nozzle is made larger, the amount of fuel and air necessary to inject at a velocity necessary for stable combustion increases, and a gas turbine load at which a premixed combustion can be effected becomes higher. If the outlet diameter of the nozzle is made smaller, a premixed flame can be formed stably by a small amounted of fuel and air, but an amount of fuel in which the premixed combustion can be effected becomes small and a ratio of the amount of fuel to be burned by the diffusion combustion increases, so that the amount of NOx occurrence increases. Therefore, when it is intended to reduce NOx during a high load operation, the premixed nozzle is made larger, so that a gas turbine load at which the gas turbine is operated by premixed combustion becomes high.
As an example of a combustor for addressing the above-mentioned subjects, a combustor provided with a mechanism for adjusting an air flow rate for diffusion combustion and premixed combustion, and reducing NOx, CO, etc. over a wide load range by optimizing the air flow rate distribution is already proposed in JP A 60-91141, JP A 60-218535, JP A 61-153316 and JP A 61-52523, for example. A combustor in which a plurality of premixed nozzles are provided and the number of the premixed nozzles in use is changed according to load also is proposed in JP U 2-100060 (Laid-Open Utility-Model Application), for example.
The gas turbine can be operated with less NOx emission. However, in order to improve further the performance, there is the following subject to be addressed. When the combustion chamber is divided, each of diffusion combustion and premixed combustion is independently effected so that flames can be prevented from interfering with each other and stable flames can be formed. However, combustion air also is divided into air for diffusion combustion flame and air for premixed combustion flame, and a ratio of the premixed combustion can not be increased. In case diffusion flame and premixed flame are formed in the same combustion chamber and the combustion air is used commonly for both diffusion combustion and for premixed combustion, for example, when the gas turbine load is low, there is a problem to be solved as the fuel air ratio in diffusion flame becomes small by air for premixed flame and unburned components become easy to exhausted.
Further, in order to reduce NOx further in a wide range of loads, it is necessary that the premixed nozzle be made large to increase the ratio of the premixed combustion. The premixed combustion is started from a low load, and NOx occurred during the diffusion combustion is made as small as possible.
Of the above-mentioned prior art, in the combustor provided with an air flow adjustment mechanism, when the air amount for premixed combustion is increased in order to effect premixed combustion at a low load, injection velocity of premixed fuel air also becomes low and there is a possibility of back fire occurring. Therefore, in particular, when the premixed nozzle outlet diameter is made large, it is insufficient to reduce the load at which the premixed combustion starts.
On the other hand, in the combustor which is provided with a plurality of premixed nozzles and the number of the nozzles in use is changed according to load, since the construction is such that the plurality of annular premixed nozzles are provided concentrically with an axis, when the number of the premix nozzles in use increases, the next nozzle has to be ignited with a relatively low temperature premixed flame, so that there is a problem that ignitability of the premix nozzle of the second stage or later stages worsen. Further, there are problems such that an area in which flames of adjacent premixed nozzles contact each other is large, the premixed flames interfere with each other, pressure change (combustion vibration) becomes large and the life of the combustor shortens.

Gas turbine combustor and operation method thereof for a diffussion burner and surrounding premixing burners separated by a partition


A phased array antenna having stacked-disc radiators embedded in dielectric media. The phased array antenna has a rectangular arrangement of unit cells that are disposed on a ground plane. A lower dielectric puck with a high dielectric constant is disposed on the ground plane. An excitable disc is disposed within the perimeter of and on top of the lower dielectric puck. An upper low dielectric constant dielectric puck that has a dielectric constant lower than that of the lower dielectric puck is disposed on the excitable disc. A parasitic disc is disposed within the perimeter of and on top of the upper dielectric puck. Dielectric filler material having a dielectric constant that is lower than that of the lower dielectric puck surrounds the dielectric pucks. A radome 18 is disposed on top of the parasitic disc and the unit cell. Two orthogonal pairs of excitation probes are coupled to the lower excitable disc. The polarization of the phased array antenna may be single linear polarization, dual linear polarization, or circular polarization depending on whether a single pair or two pairs of excitation probes are excited

The present invention relates generally to a phased array antennas, and more particularly, to planar, low profile phased array antennas employing stacked disc radiators.
In the past, the assignee of the present invention has developed a phased array antenna using a disc radiator disposed on a dielectric post. That design was limited to about 20% of the available bandwidth. Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/678,383, filed Jun. 28, 1996, entitled "Wide-Band/Dual-Band Stacked-Disc Radiators on Stacked-Dielectric Posts Phased Array Antenna," (PD-95223), where a phased array antenna using stacked-disc radiators on stacked-dielectric posts produced over an octave bandwidth. In the invention of Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/678,383, the discrete stacked-dielectric posts resulted in a non-planar design, and a radome was not used. In the open literature, there are several microstrip disc patch array antenna designs, but these designs have very limited capability in bandwidth and/or scan coverage performance.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for planar, low profile phased array antennas employing stacked disc radiators.

Planar low profile, wideband, wide-scan phased array antenna using a stacked-disc radiator


In order for the user to set new file transfer data, the image file transfer setting unit 30 acquires authentication data from a file transfer data table and displays a list of connections on the display unit 40. Next, the user uses the input unit 42 to select a desired connection from the list and also to input or select a folder 12 to be the transfer source and a hot folder 24 to be the transfer destination. The image file transfer setting unit 30 combines this data as new file transfer data and adds the data to the file transfer data table. In this way, the user can set new file transfer data using authentication data included in preset file transfer data, thereby facilitating the setting of file transfer data and the management of server authentication data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a file transfer data setting device used in a file transfer system for transferring files based on file transfer data.
2. Description of Related Art
A file transfer system for transferring files from a server to a client is well known in the art. One example of this file transfer system is disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent application publication No. HEI-11-143760.
This type of file transfer system transfers files based on preset file transfer data. This file transfer data includes transfer source data, such as an address indicating a folder on a server to be the transfer source of a file; transfer destination data, such as an address indicating a folder on a client to be the transfer destination for a file; and authentication data required by the client to receive authentication from the server in order to access the server.


A dispensing device for dispensing a pre-measured amount of a liquid or a powdered material from a container. The dispensing device fits inside the container and comprises a lower measuring reservoir, a discharge tube, and an upper compartment. The upper compartment couples the device to the mouth of the container and includes a pressure equalizer. The measuring reservoir is suspended inside the container by the discharge tube and upper compartment so that material can move freely around the measuring reservoir. To dispense a pre-measured amount of material, the container is inverted which causes the material to be captured by the measuring reservoir. To facilitate capturing material, the reservoir includes a number of inlet notches. The reservoir also includes an overflow tube. The function of the overflow tube is to meter the amount of material that is captured by releasing any excess which may accumulate when the container is inverted. The device can also include a hinged flap closure to prevent material from entering the discharge tube until the container is inverted. In another embodiment, the bottom of the container includes a collection area situated underneath the measuring reservoir. The collection area facilitates the accumulation of material below the reservoir.

The prior art is replete with numerous different devices for dispensing a measured amount of a fluid or powdered material from a container.
For example, Allen in U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,301 teaches a dispenser for dispensing measured quantities of powdered materials such as sugar. The dispenser fits inside a container and includes an elongated tube which has a flared extension at its lower end. The flared extension forms the lower reservoir which is used to capture a pre-measured amount of powder from inside the container. Powder flows into the lower reservoir through a number of inlet tubes. The lower reservoir provides a measured volume for the contents of the container which are emptied when the container is inverted.
There are two apparent problems with the Allen device. First, Allen teaches positioning the lower reservoir tightly against the bottom of the container. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that fitting the lower reservoir tightly against the bottom requires closer tolerances and consequently, the manufacturing costs can increase. Secondly, since the inlet tubes are the only conduit for the material to enter the lower reservoir, clogging of these tubes can render the dispensing device inoperable.
Another example of the prior art is Yasso in U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,623. Yasso also teaches a dispensing device which fits inside a container. The dispensing device according to Yasso comprises a vertical tube which fits into the mouth of the container, and a measuring funnel which fits onto the lower end of the tube. The measuring funnel includes a number of inlet notches to allow the material to be dispensed to flow into the funnel. Similar to the teachings of Allen, the measuring funnel according to Yasso rests against the bottom of the container.
As was the case for Allen, the dispenser configuration of Yasso requires close tolerances in order to fit the lower reservoir against the bottom of the container. Furthermore, the lower reservoir, according to Yasso can be prone to clogging which can render the device inoperable. The configuration of the lower reservoir permits granular or large particles of a normally small grained material to fall and collect at the bottom edge of the lower reservoir. These larger particles can clog the notches thereby reducing or preventing accurate dispensing of a measured amount of material.
Ladwig in U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,652 also teaches a dispensing device which fits into a container. The premeasured dispensing device taught by Ladwig comprises a lower measuring chamber which is connected to the mouth of the container by a vertical dispensing tube. The lower measuring chamber rests on the bottom of the container and includes an inlet for the liquid or powder to enter into the lower measuring chamber. The device also includes a venting tube which determines how much fluid enters the measuring chamber. The venting tube comprises a tube which runs alongside the dispensing tube and is connected to the dispensing tube and the top of the measuring chamber through an inlet. The venting tube determines the amount of fluid which enters the lower chamber.
While Ladwig provides a pre-measured dispensing device, the structure of the Ladwig device is unnecessarily complicated. In the Ladwig device, the venting tube determines the amount of fluid which will enter the lower chamber. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, this design unnecessarily complicates the structure and thereby makes the device expensive to manufacture. Furthermore, the device as taught by Ladwig is not well suited for dispensing powdered materials because the venting tube which determines the amount of fluid entering the lower chamber would be easily plugged by particles of powdered material. Therefore, Ladwig teaches a device which is complicated to manufacture and limited to use with liquids or finely powdered materials.
While the known devices discussed above can provide an accurate measurement of a fluid or a powdered material to be dispensed, there are numerous problems associated with these prior devices. First, they are difficult and expensive to manufacture. Secondly, in these known devices the lower reservoir is positioned tightly against the bottom or side of the container. This tight positioning provides a closed volume which is used to capture the pre-determined amount of fluid or powder material. While these devices provide an accurate measuring volume, they can be susceptible to clogging of the lower reservoir which can ultimately render the device inoperable.

Pre-measured liquid and powder dispenser with overflow lube


If automatic setting of communication parameters is performed in an ad hoc network when a communication apparatus is connected to an infrastructure network, there is a possibility that infrastructure network information is leaked to the infrastructure network. When an instruction to start the automatic setting of communication parameters is issued, a network participation state of the communication apparatus is determined and the automatic setting of communication parameters is not performed during enterprise connection.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a communication apparatus, a control method of the communication apparatus, and a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
In wireless communications including a wireless Local Area Network (LAN) conforming to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard series (hereinafter, referred to as a wireless LAN), there are many items to be set prior to the use thereof.
Items to be set include, for example, communication parameters necessary for performing wireless communication such as Service Set Identification (SSID) as a network identifier, an encryption method, an encryption key, an authentication method, an authentication key and so on. It is very troublesome for a user to set all these parameters manually. Thus, various manufacturers have discussed automatic setting methods to set communication parameters to wireless devices easily. These automatic setting methods automatically set communication parameters by providing communication parameters from one device to another according to a procedure and messages preset between devices to be connected.
Recently, Wi-Fi Alliance, an industry standards body, has discussed a standard technology (Wi-Fi Protected Setup: WPS) concerning a setting function of communication parameters (http://www.wi-fi.org/files/kc/20090123_Wi-Fi_Protected_Set up.pdf). The WPS specifies an automatic setting method of communication parameters in an infrastructure mode in which a station (child station) performs communication via an access point (base station).
U.S. patent No. 2010-046394 discusses an example of automatic settings of communication parameters in an ad hoc mode in which child stations directly perform communication without passing through a base station.
When communication is temporarily performed between communication devices equipped with a wireless LAN, it is effective to perform communication in the ad hoc mode. In such a case, communication parameters are shared among the communication devices by carrying out communication parameter settings discussed in U.S. Patent No. 2010-046394, so that wireless communication via an ad hoc network can be performed.
However, if communication parameters are set while one of the communication devices is connected to another network, there is a possibility that information in the other network may be leaked to devices newly connected via the ad hoc network. For example, when the device is connected to an intra-company network, leakage of confidential information in the network could become a serious issue.

Communication apparatus, control method of communication apparatus, and program